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HARPER'S 


INTRODUCTORY 


GEOGRAPHY 


WITH 


MAPS  AND   ILLUSTRATIONS 


PREPARED   EXPRESSLY   FOR  THIS  WORK 


BY    EMINENT    AMERICAN    ARTISTS 


NE W   YORK 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS 

1880 


PUBLISHERS'   ADVERTISEMENT. 


In  submitting  this  work  to  the  public,  we  beg 
leave  to  ask  attention  to  a  brief  statement  of  its 
leading  features,  confident  that  they  will  be  found 
to  answer  the  requirements  of  the  most  intelligent 
and  experienced  educators  : 

1.  It  is  designed  to  be  an  introductory  text-book, 
as  its  name  imports,  to  prepare  young  pupils  who 
are  beginning  the  study  of  geography  for  the  use 
of  a  more  comprehensive  manual.  With  this  aim 
in  view,  both  the  kind  of  matter  selected  and  the 
style  in  which  it  is  presented  have  been  adapted  to 
the  age  and  capacity  of  those  for  whom  the  work 
is  intended.  Some  topics — essential  to  a  manual 
for  maturer  minds,  but  not  suitable  to  be  placed 
before  beginners — have  been  omitted;  and  details 
that  would  be  dry  and  pointless  to  such  youth 
have  been  expressed  in  suggestive  and  enlivening 
generalizations.  These  adaptations  have  been  ef- 
fected in  conformity  to  a  consistent  ideal,  so  that, 
while  introductory  to  a  larger  manual,  the  work  is 
symmetrical  and  complete  in  itself 

2.  An  elementary  geography  should  be  as  at- 
tractive as  it  is  useful;  its  subject-matter  should 
be  presented  with  the  continuity  of  an  engaging 
narrative,  calculated  to  stimulate  curiosity,  as  well 
as  to  inform  the  mind.  This  mode  of  treatment  is 
consistent  with  the  true  philosophy  of  the  subject. 
Accordingly,  the  descriptive  portions  of  this  work 
have  been  carefully  written  in  a  familiar  narrative 
form,  so  far  as  the  nature  of  the  topics  would  al- 
low, and  are  intended  to  be  read  by  the  pupils. 


3.  The  descriptive  part  of  each  lesson  is  followed 
by  questions  with  appended  answers,  which  extract 
from  the  part  to  be  read  its  important  points  of  in- 
formation, and  present  them  in  a  concise -and  con- 
venient form  for  recitation.  In  the  part  to  be  re- 
cited the  language  of  the  text  is  preserved  as  far 
as  possible.  Thus  the  advantages  of  the  narra- 
tive method  of  instruction  are  combined  with  those 
of  the  question-and-answer  method  without  any  in- 
cidental defects.  Special  attention  is  solicited  to 
this  feature,  which,  in  its  fullness  and  complete- 
ness, is  believed  to  be  without  a  parallel  in  ele- 
mentary works  on  geography.  Critical  observatioji 
has  dearly  proved  that  young  children  have  not  the 
capacity  to  disetigage  the  points  specially  worthy  of  re- 
me7nbrance  from  the  text  of  a  flowing  narrative  and 
put  them  into  affirmative  statemetits  for  recitation ; 
and  many  elementary  works,  in  both  geography  and 
history,  have  been  failures  as  text -books  because 
the  recitations  have  been  made  dependent  on  a 
series  of  questions,  the  answers  to  which  the  pupils 
have  been  expected  to  find  out  and  express  for 
themselves. 

4.  The  maps  and  illustrations  are  designed  not 
only  to  adorn,  but  to  elucidate,  the  text.  As  to 
their  artistic  beauty  and  excellence,  they  speak  for 
themselves. 

This  work  and  Harper's  School  Geography  to- 
gether furnish  a  complete  course  in  physical  and 
political  geography  for  intermediate  and  grammar 

schools. 

HARPER  &   BROTHERS. 


Franklin  Square,  New  York,  March,  1877. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1877,  by  Harper  &  Brothers,  in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


GIFT 


lO^f 


BzaAA 


SUGGESTIONS    TO    TEACHERS. 


/ 


Cti. 


c^p/'ss 


i  c 


'"'^^S. 


1.  An  effort  has  been  made  to  render  the  various 
explanations  in  this  book  as  clear  as  words  can 
express  them.  But  it  is  often  difficult  to  picture 
in  words  what  may  readily  be  made  intelligible 
by  means  of  practical  illustrations.  The  teacher 
should  therefore  supplement  the  text  by  the  use 
of  appropriate  objects.  For  instance,  in  connec- 
tion with  whatever  relates  to  the  earth  as  a  globe 
—  the  hemispheres,  meridians,  parallels,  etc.  —  an 
artificial  globe  is  a  very  important  means  of  illus- 
tration. If  a  globe  be  not  at  hand,  a  ball,  apple, 
or  orange  may  be  used. 

2.  The  first  part  of  each  lesson  should  be  care- 
fully read  by  the  class  before  the  part  to  be  recited 
is  studied.  At  the  time  of  such  reading,  all  un- 
familiar words  should  be  explained,  and  all  points 
capable  of  objective  illustration  should  be  fully  il- 
lustrated. The  mind  of  the  pupil  will  thus  be  pre- 
pared to  grasp  and  retain  the  portion  to  be  recited. 

3.  That  portion  of  the  text  which  is  of  second- 
ary importance,  because  employed  by  way  of  relief 
or  illustration,  is  taken  up  among  the  "Questions 
for  Review,"  for  the  purpose  of  variety,  and  of 
allowing  the  pupil  to  exercise  his  powers  in  draw- 
ing directly  upon  the  matter  that  has  been  read. 
In  the  latter  part  of  the  book,  the  number  of  ques- 
tions with  appended  answers  is  gradually  reduced, 
while  the  scope  of  the  review  questions  is  corre- 
spondingly enlarged. 


4.  The  cities  and  towns  called  for  by  the  text 
are  indicated  on  the  maps  by  a  difference  of  type, 
and  those  that  are  called  for  by  the  map  questions 
are  still  further  distinguished  by  the  use  of  a  red 
circle. 

5.  The  questions  to  be  answered  from  the  maps 
precede  the  descriptive  text,  in  order  that  the  pu- 
pil may  be  made  familiar  with  the  general  struct- 
ure and  purposes  of  the  maps,  and  because  some 
knowledge  of  the  location  of  places  should  precede 
the  references  to  them  in  the  text.  The  teacher 
should  require  the  answers  to  the  map  questions  to 
be  correct  in  their  phraseology  as  well  as  in  their 
statement  of  facts. 

6.  It  is  a  serious  question  how  far  answers  to 
questions  in  a  school  text-book  should  be  phrased 
in  complete  sentences.  With  primary-school  chil- 
dren, this  method  should  never  be  waived.  It  is 
vital  to  proper  training.  But  there  comes  a  period 
in  a  pupil's  progress  when  it  not  only  becomes  a 
monotonous  and  harassing  interruption,  but  con- 
sumes far  too  much  time.  Both  questions  and  an- 
swers become  elliptical  of  necessity.  This  period 
may  be  assumed  to  be  when  the  pupil  is  old  enough 
to  study  and  recite  memoriter  from  text-books ;  and 
therefore,  while  care  has  been  taken  to  make  the 
answers  in  this  book  clear  and  explicit,  no  at- 
tempt  has  been  made  to  phrase  them  in  complete 
sentences. 


235 


A 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 


About  the  Earth,      .... 

The  Hemispheres,    ..... 

Divisions  of  the  Land, 

Forms  of  the  Land,        .... 

Divisions  and  Forms  of  the  Water, 

Springs  and  Rivers,        .... 

Questions  for  Review, 

Day  and  Night. — The  Seasons,    . 

The  Earth's  Belts  or  Zones, 

Equator,  Axis,  and  Poles, 

Direction  and  Distance, 

What  Maps  are, 

Questions  for  Review, 

Continents  and  Oceans 22 

Questions   on   the   Map  of  the  Western   Hemi- 
sphere,      24 

Questions  on  the  Map  of  the  Eastern  Hemisphere,   25 

North  America, 26 

Questions  for  Review, 33 

Questions  on  the  Map  of  the  United  States,     34,  35 

The  United  States, 36 

North  Atlantic  States 38 


PAGE 
5 

8 
9 
li 
13 
14 
15 
15 
16 
19 
19 
21 
o9 


PAGE 

45 
50 
66 
61 

West  Central  States  and  States  of  the  Plains,  62,  63 

68 

75 

79 

81 

85 

87 

95 

97 

102 

105 

107 

107 

108 

109 

110 

111 

112 


Middle  Atlantic  States,        .... 
South  Atlantic  and  South  Central  States, 

North  Central  States, 

Questions  for  Review,         .... 


Western  or  Highland  States,  .... 
British  America,  Mexico,  and  Central  America, 
Questions  for  Review, 
South  America, 
Questions  for  Review, 

Europe 

Questions  for  Review, 

Asia, 


Australia,       .... 

Africa, 

Questions  for  Review, 
Tropics  and  Polar  Circles,    . 
Latitude  and  Longitude,    . 
Races  of  Men, 

Questions  for  General  Review, 
Tables  of  Population, 
Pronouncing  Vocabulary,   . 


MAPS 


PAGE 

Western  Hemisphere, 24 

Eastern  Hemisphere, 25 

North  America, 27 

United  States,        ......  34,  35 

North  Atlantic  States,   .        .        .        .        .        .39 

Middle  Atlantic  States 44 

South  Atlantic  and  South  Central  States,        .    51 


PAGE 

North  Central  States, 57 

West  Central  States  and  States  of  the  Plains,  62,  63 

Western  or  Highland  States,   ....  69 

South  America 80 

Europe, 86 

Asia  and  Australia, 96 

Africa 104 


GEOGRAPHY. 


LESSON    I. 

ABOUT  THE  EARTH. 
[To  be  Read.] 

Geography  is  a  description  of  the  surface  of 
the  earth,  and  of  its  countries  and  their  inhab- 
itants. 

The  surface  of  the  earth  is  its  outside,  and 
the  earth  itself  is  the  great  ball  or  globe  on 
the  surface  of  which  we  live.  For,  strange 
as  it  may  seem,  we  do  live  on* the  surface  of  a 
great  ball.  The  ground  on  which  we  tread, 
and  that  we  see  stretching  out  on  every  side, 


and  holding  up  the  houses  and  the  trees,  is 
not  a  plain,  as  it  appears  to  be,  but  is  part  of 
the  outside  of  a  ball,  which  is  so  large  that 
we  can  see  only  a  small  portion  of  it  at  one 
time.  It  seems  to  be  flat,  because  it  is  so 
very  large.  The  surface  of  a  small  ball,  such 
as  you  can  hold  in  your  hand,  is  so  very 
rounding  everywhere  that  no  part  of  it  would 
ever  be  supposed  to  be  flat.  But  on  a  ball 
as  large  as  the  earth,  the  surface  that  a  per- 
son can  see  before  the  ground  and  the  sky 
seem  to  meet  does  not  appear  to  be  round- 
ing at  all. 

Many   years   ago,  before    people   knew   as 
much  about  the  earth  as  they  now  do,  every- 


MORE   ABOUT   THE   EARTH. 


body  believed  that  it  was  really  what  it  ap- 
pears to  be — a  vast  plain. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  geography  ? 

Geography  is  a  description  of  the  surface 
of  the  earth,  and  of  its  countries  and  their 
inhabitants. 

What  is  the  earth  .' 

The  earth  is  the  ball  or  globe  on  the  sur- 
face of  which  we  live. 

Does  the  ground  that  we  see  all  around  us  seem  to  be 
part  of  the  surface  of  a  ball  ? 

It  does  not ;  it  seems  to  be  part  of  a  great 

plain. 

Why  does  it  seem  to  be  part  of  a  plain  ? 
Because  the  earth  is  so  very  large. 


LESSON    II. 

MOEE  ABOUT  THE  EARTH. 
[To  be  Read.] 

If  the  earth  were  really  a  great  plain,  a 
person  who  should  travel  far  enough  would, 
sooner  or  later,  come  to  the  end  of  it.  And 
the  farther  he  should  go,  if  he  travelled  in  a 
straight  line,  the  farther  he  would  be  from  the 
place  from  which  he  started.  And  he  could 
not  again  get  to  the  place  he  started  from 
without  turning  about  and  going  back. 

Now  take  an  apple,  or  an  orange,  or  any 
ball  you  may  happen  to  have,  and  stick  a  pin 
in  it,  or  make  a  mark  on  it,  no  matter  where. 
Hold  it  in  one  hand,  with  the  spot  you  have 
marked  or  stuck  a  pin  into  uppermost,  and 
place  the  end  of  the  index  or  pointing  finger 
of  your  other  hand  on  the  pin  or  mark. 

Then  slowly  move  the  finger  round  the 
largest  part  of  the  fruit  or  ball.  If  you  move 
it  as  directed,  it  will  go  completely  around 


the  fruit  or  ball,  and  come  at  length  to  the 
very  pin  or  mark  it  started  from.  Now,  if 
the  pin  or  mark  represented  your  home,  and 
if  the  finger  were  yourself  taking  a  journey, 
you  would  reach  home  without  having  gone 
back  over  any  part  of  your  track. 

That  is  because  you  would  have  travelled 
in  a  circle  around  a  ball ;  and  by  no  path,  ex- 
cept a  circular  one,  can  one  arrive  at  the  place 
he  started  from,  and  yet  seem  to  be  all  the 
time  going  farther  and  farther  forward. 


So  brave  and  daring  men,  many  years  ago, 
determined  to  find  out  the  real  form  of  the 
earth.  They  left  their  homes  and  travelled 
on  and  on,  and  finally  came  to  the  very  places 
they  started  from,  without  ever  having  turned 
about  and  gone  back.  Then  thinking  peo- 
ple knew  that  the  earth  must  be  a  great  ball. 

There  is  another  proof  that  the  earth  is 
round.     It  is  this  : 

The  ocean,  when  it  is  calm,  is  more  nearly 
level  than  any  thing  else  on  the  surface  of 
the  earth  ;  and  if  it  were  perfectly  level,  the 
whole  of  a  ship,  when  at  a  distance,  would  be 
seen  at  the  same  time — masts,  sails,  and  body, 
or  hull — ^just  as  it  is  seen  when  it  is  near,  ex- 
cept that  it  would  appear  much  smaller.  For 
you  know  that  any  thing  looks  smaller  when 
at  a  distance  than  when  it  is  near.      In  this 


I 


STILL   MORE   ABOUT   THE   EARTH. 


picture,  the  man  on  the  shore  sees  every  part 
of  the  distant  ship  just  as  he  sees  every  part 
of  the  ship  near  by,  because  they  are  both 
represented  to  be  saihng  on  a  level. 


Now,  in  reality,  the  whole  of  a  ship  in  the 
distance  on  the  ocean  can  not  be  seen,  just  as 
it  is  seen  when  it  is  near  by.  But  when  it  is 
far  off  and  coming  near,  the  tops  of  the  masts 
are  always  seen  first,  then  the  sails,  and,  last 
of  all,  the  hull,  or  body.  And  when  it  is  go- 
ing out  to  sea,  the  hull  disappears  first,  and, 
last  of  all,  the  tops  of  the  masts. 

These  facts  came  at  last  to  be  carefully  no- 
ticed and  studied.  They  were  found  to  be 
always  true  of  ships  when  coming  near  or 
going  into  the  distance,  wherever  the  specta- 
tor might  be.  And  as  people  knew  that  this 
could  not  happen  unless  the  surface  of  the 
water  was  rounding  like  the  outside  of  a  ball, 
they  made  up  their  minds  that  the  earth  must 
be  round  like  a  ball. 

Here  is  a  picture  of  the  way  in  which  a 
ship  goes  out  of  sight.     The  man  sitting  on 


the  shore  can  see  the  whole  of  the  ship  when 
it  is  at  the  point  marked  1 ;  when  it  is  at  the 
point  marked  2,  the  hull  has  passed  out  of 
sight  ;    when   it   is  at   3,  he  can  see  only  the 


tops  of  the  masts ;  and  when  it  is  at  4,  it  has 
disappeared  altogether  from  his  view. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

How  was  the  real  form  of  the  earth  found  out  ? 

Brave  and  daring  men  left  their  homes,  and 
travelled,  without  turning  about,  until  they 
came  to  the  very  places  they  set  out  from. 

What  does  that  prove  ? 

It  proves  that  the  earth  is  round  like  a  ball. 

Why  does  it  prove  that  the  earth  is  round  ? 

Because  a  circular  path  is  the  only  one  by 
which  one  can  reach  the  place  he  started  from, 
without  turning  about  and  going  back. 

What  other  proof  have  we  that  the  earth  is  round  ? 

When  a  ship  is  coming  in  from  sea,  the 
tops  of  the  masts  are  seen  first,  then  the  sails, 
and  then  the  hull. 

Why  does  that  prove  that  the  earth  is  round? 

Because  if  the  surface  of  the  water  were 
flat,  the  hull  would  be  seen  as  soon  as  the 
masts. 


LESSON   III. 
STILL  MORE  ABOUT  THE  EARTH. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Boys  and  girls  who  live  in  cities  often  walk 
or  ride  out  into  places  where  there  are  open 
fields  and  woods,  and  only  a  few  houses,  and 
then  they  say  they  have  been  in  the  country. 
But  that  is  not  the  meaning  of  the  word 
"  country  "  as  it  is  used  in  geography.  There 
it  means  one  of  the  divisions  into  which  the 
land  on  the  surface  of  the  earth  is  separated, 
and  it  almost  always  means  that  all  the  peo- 
ple living  in  one  of  these  divisions  are  under 
the  same  government ;  that  is,  that  they  have 
the  same  la\vs  and  the  same  rulers. 

We  Jiave  thus  learned  the  meaning  of  the 


8 


THE   HEMISPHERES. 


words  "  surface,  "  earth,"  and  "  countries ;"  and 
now  we  can  understand  what  is  meant  when 
we  read  that  geography  is  a  description  of  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  and  of  its  countries  and 
their  inhabitants.  When  we  have  studied  this 
book,  we  shall  understand  what  is  meant  by 
mountains  and  oceans,  and  islands  and  lakes, 
and  seas  and  rivers.  We  shall  have  learned 
about  the  productions  of  the  earth :  the  de- 
licious fruits,  the  noble  trees,  and  the  beauti- 
ful flowers;  about  the  hot  regions  where  sav- 
age beasts  prowl  in  the  tangled  forests;  about 
the  cold  regions  where  the  huge  whale  lives 
in  the  water,  and  the  reindeer  speeds  over  the 
snow ;  about  the  people  that  live  on  the  earth 
— white  people  and  black  people,  and  tawny 
people  and  copper-colored  people ;  about  cities 
and  towns,  and  ships  and  railroads,  and  many 
other  things. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  "  countries  "  as  used  in 
geography  ? 

It  means  the  divisions  into  which  the  land 
is  separated. 

What  else  does  it  mean  ? 

It  almost  always  means  that  all  the  people 
in  one  of  these  divisions  live  under  the  same 
government. 


LESSON  IV. 

THE  HEMISPHEEES. 
[To  be  Read.] 

We  know  how  the  moon  looks  when  it  is 
csdled  fu/l  moon.  Then  it  is  large  and  round 
and  very  bright,  for  it  is  opposite  to  us  as  well 
as  opposite  to  the  sun,  and  we  see  the  entire 
half  of  it,  as  the  sun  shines  full  upon  it.  It 
has  many  mountains,  chiefly  in  the  parts  that 
look  brightest.  The  dark  spots  are  great  plains 
with  some  mountains  upon  them.  No  ocean 
is  seen  upon  it. 


Now  suppose  we  could  go  up  through  the 
sky  far  enough  to  get  a  good  view  of  the 
earth  with  the  sun  shining  full  upon  it,  just 
as  we  see  the  moon  when  it  is  called  "  full 
moon ;"  how  do  you  think  it  would  look  ? 

It  would  look  much  hke  this  picture : 


WESTERN   HEMISPHERE. 


The  dark  parts  lying  in  irregular  and  broken 
forms  near  the  middle  of  the  picture  represent 
/a7id, and  the  brighter  and  smoother  parts  rep- 
resent %vater.  We  notice  that  just  half  of  the 
earth  is  represented  in  this  picture.  We  also 
notice  that  in  this  half  there  is  a  great  deal 
more  water  than  land. 

Now,  if  we  could  get  a  view  of  the  other 
half  when  the  sun  is  shining  brightly  upon  it, 
it  would  appear  somewhat  like  this : 


EASTERN    HEMISPHERE. 


DIVISIONS   OF  THE   LAND. 


The  land  in  this  half  is  very  different  in 
shape  from  the  land  in  the  other  half;  and 
there  is  more  of  it  than  there  is  in  the  other 
half.  Still,  even  in  this  half  there  is  more  wa- 
ter than  land,  and  of  the  surface  of  the  whole 
earth  about  one  quarter  is  land  and  three 
quarters  are  water. 

We  see  under  the  first  picture  the  words 
"  Western  Hemisphere,"  and  under  the  sec- 
ond picture  the  words  "  Eastern  Hemisphere." 
These  are  the  names  of  the  pictures  ;  they  are 
very  important  names  in  geography,  and  it  is 
necessary  to  explain  what  they  mean. 

Any  thing  round  like  a  ball  is  a  globe.  An- 
other name  for  any  thing  round  like  a  ball  is 
sphere.  The  word  *'  hemi "  means  Jialf ;  and 
people  have  taken  that  word  and  joined  the 
word  spliere  to  it,  thus  making  a  new  word — 
JieniispJicrc,  which  means  half  a  sphere.  And 
since  each  of  the  pictures  we  have  just  been 
looking  at  represents  half  of  the  earth,  and 
since  the  earth  is  a  sphere,  these  halves  are 
called  hemispheres.  One  is  the  "  Western 
Hemisphere ;"  the  other  is  the  "  Eastern 
Hemisphere." 


L  T  H 


[To  be  Recited.] 


What  do  the  pictures  in  this  lesson  represent  ? 
They  represent  the  halves  of  the  earth. 

What  is  the  half  of  the  earth  in  the  first  picture  called  ? 
The  Western  Hemisphere. 

What  is  the  half  of  the  earth  in  the  second  picture  called  ? 
The  Eastern  Hemisphere. 

Why  are  these  halves  of  the  earth  called  hemispheres  ? 

Because  the  earth  is  a  sphere  ;  and  the 
word  "  hemi "  means  half.  So  half  of  the 
earth  is  a  hemisphere. 

How  much  of  the  earth's  surface  is  land,  and  how  much 
of  it  is  water  ? 

About  one  quarter  is  land,  and  three  quar- 
ters are  water. 

-A 


LESSON  V. 

DIVISIONS  OF  THE  LAND. 
[To  be  Read.] 

We  have  seen  how  the  earth  would  appear 
if  looked  at  from  a  distance.  We  have  seen 
how  much  land  there  is,  and  how  much  water. 
We  have  seen,  too,  that  the  land  and  the  wa- 
ter have  different  divisions  and  forms. 

Now  we  must  have  names  for  these  differ- 
ent divisions  and  forms  of  the  land  and  the 
water,  else  we  can  not  point  them  out  and 
study  about  them.  If  we  look  on  the  next 
page,  we  shall  see  pictures  of  the  hemispheres, 
side  by  side,  just  like  those  we  saw  in  the  last 
lesson,  except  that  they  contain  the  names  of 
the  divisions  of  land  and  water. 

We  will  first  learn  about  the  divisions  of 
the  land.  There  are  two  of  these,  one  called 
continents,  the  other  called  islands.  Large 
masses  or  bodies  of  land  are  called  conti- 
nents ;  smaller  bodies  of  land,  entirely  sur- 
rounded by  water,  are  called  islands. 

Since  there  are  two  very  large  masses  of 
land  in  the  Western  Hemisphere,  each  of 
them  is  considered  a  continent ;  one  is  called 
the  continent  of  North  America,  the  other 
the  continent  of  South  America. 

How  many  continents  are  there  in  the 
Eastern  Hemisphere  ?  There  are  only  two 
very  large  masses  of  land,  therefore  there  ought 
really  to  be  only  two  continents.  But  for 
certain  reasons  people  have  chosen  to  divide 
the  larger  of  these  two  masses  into  two  con- 
tinents. So  we  have  in  these  two  masses 
three  continents — Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa. 

There  is  also  one  other  mass  of  land  laree 
enough  to  be  called  a  continent.  It  is  in  the 
Eastern  Hemisphere,  and  its  name  is  Austra- 
lia. Thus  we  find  that  there  are  in  all  six 
continents  —  North  America^  South  America, 
Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  and  Australia. 


10 


DIVISIONS   OF   THE   LAND. 


WESTERN    HEMISPHERE. 


EASTERN    HEMISPHERE. 
I 


Here  and  there,  near  the  borders  of  the  con- 
tinents, and  sometimes  far  out  in  the  ocean, 
are  small  bodies  of  land  wholly  surrounded  by 
water.     These  are  islands. 

There  are  a  great  many  kinds  of  islands, 
large  and  small,  level  and  mountainous  ;  and 
there  is  one  kind,  beautiful  with  trees  and 
fruits  and  flowers,  and  perhaps  having  many 
inhabitants,  which  was  built  by  little  animals. 

Everywhere  in  the  warm  parts  of  the  oceans 
a  strange  little  animal  lives,  called  the  coral 


animal,  or  polyp.  It  is  at  first  like  a  tiny 
drop  of  jelly  no  bigger  than  the  head  of  a 
pin  ;  and  wherever  the  water  is  not  very 
deep  millions  of  them  fasten  themselves  to 
the  rocks  at  the  bottom.  After  a  while  a 
stony  substance  forms  in  the  body  of  each 
polyp,  just  as  the  shell  forms  around  an  oys- 
ter ;  and  when  the  polyp  dies,  the  stony  sub- 
stance remains.  But  before  it  dies,  other  lit- 
tle jelly-like  polyps  have  sprouted  out  from 
it,  much  as  buds  shoot  out  from  a  plant,  and 
they  in  their  turn,  after  pro- 
ducing polyp  buds,  die,  leaving 
the  stony  substance  behind. 
-^  This  process  goes  on,  until  this 
stony  substance  has  grown  up 
like  a  tree.  At  last  it  comes 
to  the  surface  of  the  water. 

The  little  picture  on  the  op- 
posite page  shows  you  the  cor- 
al that  forms  islands,  just  as  it 
erows.  The  small  star-like 
appearances  that  cover  it  are 
the  mouths  of  the  coral  ani- 
mals. 


FORMS   OF   THE   LAND. 


-,^41 


V\jl^ 


These  coral  trees  stand 
very     close     together    as 


,^    they  come  up  through  the 


water,  and  their  branches 
cross  and  recross  near  the 
surface,  until  they  seem 
almost  like  an  interwoven 
floor.     Then  the  dashing 


waves  breaj<  pieces  off, 
that  fall  and  lodge  among  the  branches,  and 
become  a  solid  mass.  Afterwards  wood,  sea- 
weed, and  other  things  that  are  continually 
floating  about  in  the  ocean,  drift  in  upon  this 
coral  surface  and  decay  there,  and  become 
earth  or  soil.  In  the  course  of  time,  a  real 
island  is  formed  upon  the  coral  trees ;  and 
then  cocoa-nuts  and  other  seeds  are  floated 
by  the  water  or  blown  by  the  wind  upon  the 
soil,  and  sprout  and  grow;  and  at  length  there 
are  trees  and  shrubs,  and  fruits 
and  flowers.  At  last  men  come 
and  make  their  homes  there. 

When  these  coral  islands  are 
built  around  the  coast  of  other 
islands  in  long  ribbons  of  beauti- 
ful verdure,  they  are  called  reefs. 
But  the  coral  islands  that  are 
most  beautiful  of  all  are  built  in  a 
circle,  with  a  lake  in  the  centre. 
These  are  named  atolls,  and  the 
lakes  they  enclose  are  called  la- 
goons. There  is  always  an  opening  on  one 
side,  and  the  water  is  deep,  so  that  the  la- 
goons make  safe  harbors  for  ships. 

Above  is  a  picture  of  an  atoll,  with  ships  in 
its  lagoon. 

Suppose  all  the  water  of  the  ocean  were 
dried  up,  how  would  what  is  now  the  bottom 
of  the  ocean  appear  ?  Why,  just  as  the  dry 
land  we  live  on  appears.  There  would  be 
plains  and  valleys,  and  hills  and  mountains;  for 
most  of  the  islands  that  rise  out  of  the  ocean 
are  nothing  but  the  tops  of  mountains  whose 
sides  reach  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

How  many  divisions  of  land  are  there  ? 

There  are  two  :    continents  and  islands. 

How  do  continents  and  islands  differ  ? 

Large  bodies  of  land  are  called  continents  ; 
smaller  bodies  of  land,  entirely  surrounded  by 
water,  are  called  islands. 

How  many  continents  are  there  ? 

There  are  six :  North  America,  South  Amer- 
ica, Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  and  Australia. 

How  do  islands  differ  from  each  other  ? 

Some  are  large,  others  small  ;  some  are 
level,  others  mountainous. 

What  is  the  most  wonderful  kind  of  islands? 

The  islands  made  by  the  coral  animal. 
What  are  most  of  the  islands  ? 

They  are  the  tops  of  mountains  whose  sides 
reach  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 


LESSON   VL 

FOEMS  OF  THE  LAND. 

[To  be  Read.] 

We  have  learned  about  the  divisions  of  the 
land.  Now  we  will  learn  about  \is  foj'ms.  \x\ 
the  first  picture  on  the  next  page  w^e  see  land 
rising  high  in  the  air,  sum^mit  above  summit. 

When  land  rises  to  a  very  great  height,  it  is 
called  a  mountain.     There  are  a  great   many 


12 


FORMS   OF   THE   LAND. 


mountains  on  the  surface  of  the  earth.  Some- 
times they  stand  alone,  but  oftener  they  are 
in  long  rows,  or  ranges,  called  chains.  There 
are  some  of  these  mountain  chains  on  each  of 
the  continents,  and  there  are  mountains  on  a 
great  many  of  the  islands. 

An  elevation  of  land  not  so  high  as  a 
mountain  is  called  a  /////.  The  edges  of 
continents  and  islands,  where  they  border  on 
the  water,  are  called  shores  or  coasts.  These 
shores  or  coasts  are  very  seldom  even  and 
regular ;  but  most  of  them  have  many  points 
that  stretch  out  into  the  water,  and  many 
openings  through  which  the  water  flows  up 
into  the  land.  These  points,  or  headlands, 
which  extend  from  the  coast -line  into  the 
water,  are  called  capes.  When,  however,  one 
of  these  headlands  is  joined  to  the  mainland 
by  a  narrow  neck  of  land,  it  becomes  a  penin- 
sula ;  and  the  neck  of  land  that  joins  it  to  the 
mainland  is  an  istJumis. 

In  the  next  column  is  a  picture  that  shows 
a  coast-line  or  shore  where  the  land  meets  the 


water.  In  the  distance  is  a  point  of  land  ex- 
tending into  the  sea ;  that  is  a  cape.  Nearer 
by  is  a  peninsula,  and  the  narrow  isthmus  or 
neck  that  joins  it  to  the  mainland.  There  is 
a  wooded  island  also,  and  above  the  shore  is 
a  range  of  hills. 

There  are  two  other  forms  of  land  that 
need  to  be  explained.  They  are  a  plain  and 
a  valley.  A  plaiti  is  a  broad  extent  of  level 
land.  A  valley  is  the  low  land  between  two 
mountains  or  along  which  a  river  runs. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  a  mountain  ? 

A  mountain    is   land  that   rises  to  a  very 
great  height. 

What  is  a  hill  ? 

It  is  an  elevation  of  land  that  is  not  so  high 
as  a  mountain. 

What  is  a  coast  or  shore  ? 

It  is  the  edge  of  the  land  where  it  borders 
on  the  water. 


DIVISIONS    AND    FORMS   OF  THE   WATER. 


13 


What  is  a  cape  ? 

It   is  a  point   of  land    extending  into   the 
water. 

What  is  a  peninsula  ? 

It  is  a  portion  of  land   nearly  surrounded 
by  water. 

What  is  an  isthmus  ? 

It  is  a  narrow  neck  of  land  that  joins  a  pen- 
insula to  another  body  of  land. 

What  is  a  plain  ? 

A  plain  is  a  broad  extent  of  level  land. 

What  is  a  valley  ? 

A  valley  is  the  low  land  between  two  hills 
or  mountains,  or  where  a  river  runs. 


LESSON    VII. 
DIVISIONS  AND  FORMS  OF  THE  WATER. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Just  as  the  largest  bodies  of  land  are  called 
continents,  so  the  largest  bodies  of  water  are 
called  oceans. 

The  oceans  are  not  wholly  separated  from 
each  other'  by  bodies  of 
land.  On  the  contrary, 
they  are  all  connected, 
and  really  form  only  one 
vast  body  of  water.  But 
wherever  a  portion  of 
this  great  body  of  water 
is  partly  separated  from 
the  rest  it  has  a  name 
to  itself.  It  is  called  an 
ocean. 

Thus  the  waters  of  the 
globe  are  divided  into 
five  great  oceans.  Their 
names  are  —  Atlantic 
Ocean, Pacific  Ocean,  Ind- 
ian Ocean,  Arctic  Ocean, 
and  Antarctic  Ocean. 


The  division  of  water  that  corresponds  to 
an  island  is  a  lake.  As  an  island  is  wholly 
surrounded  by  water,  so  a  lake  is  wholly  or 
nearly  surrounded  by  land.  And  as  a  portion 
of  land  stretching  out  into  the  water  is  called 
a  cape,  so  a  portion  of  water  stretching  up 
into  the  land  is  a  gulf  or  bay. 

Below  is  a  picture  of  a  lake,  and  also  of  a 
gulf  or  bay.  The  lake  is  in  the  distance,  at 
the  foot  of  the  mountain.  Near  by  is  a  bay, 
with  a  light-house  on  the  cape,  to  prevent  the 
sailors  from  running  their  vessels  ashore  in 
the  darkness. 

An  isthmus  is  a  narrow  neck  of  land  con- 
necting two  larger  bodies  of  land  ;  and  the 
form  of  water  that  corresponds  to  an  isthmus 
is  a  strait.  When  a  strait  is  quite  broad  and 
deep,  it  is  called  a  channel ;  and  a  lake  that  is 
quite  small  is  called  2.  pond. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  are  oceans? 

They  are  the  largest  bodies  of  water. 

How  many  oceans  are  there  ? 

There  are  five  oceans. 


14 


SPRINGS   AND   RIVERS. 


What  are  the  names  of  the  oceans  ? 
Atlantic  Ocean,  Pacific  Ocean,  Indian  Ocean, 
Arctic  Ocean,  and  Antarctic  Ocean. 

What  is  a  lake  .'' 

A  lake  is  a  body  of  water  wholly  or  very 
nearly  surrounded  by  land. 

What  is  a  gulf  or  bay  ? 

It  is  a  portion  of  water  stretching  up  into 
the  land. 

What  is  a  strait  ? 

It  is  a  narrow  passage  of  water  connecting 
two  larger  bodies  of  water. 

What  is  a  channel  ? 

It  is  a  broad  and  deep  strait. 


From  the  vast  surface  of  the  ocean  water 
is  thus  rising  into  the  air  all  the  time,  and 
appears  in  the  form  of  clouds.  When  the 
clouds  are  very  thick  and  heavy  with  moist- 
ure, the  little  particles  run  together  and  form 
drops,  that  fall  to  the  earth  in  rain.  If  it  be 
cold  weather,  the  particles  are  frozen  as  they 
pass  through  the  air,  and  fall  in  the  form  of 
snow  or  hail. 

So  the  rain  comes  down  and  sinks  into  the 
ground,  and  runs  along  in  little  channels  be- 
neath the  surface.     When  a  man  has  built  a 


LESSON    VIII. 


SPEINGS  AND  EIVERS. 
[To  be  Read.] 

Nothing  can  live  without  water 
— neither  plants  nor  trees  nor  ani- 
mals. The  places  where  no  water 
is  found  and  no  rain  falls  are  dry 
and  lifeless  deserts.  But  almost  all 
the  earth  is  supplied  with  water, 
and  all  this  water  comes  from  the 
ocean.  All  the  water  people  drink 
and  use,  all  that  is  running  over 
the  land  or  under  the  land,  and 
all  that  is  gathered  into  lakes  and 
ponds,  comes,  in  the  first  place,  from  the  ocean. 

How  does  this  take  place  ? 

If  we  put  water  into  a  vessel  and  set  it  out 
in  the  sunshine,  it  will  gradually  disappear, 
and  at  last  will  all  be  gone.  When  water  dis- 
appears in  this  Avay,  we  may  think  it  has  been 
destroyed.  But  it  has  not  been  destroyed. 
It  has  gone  off  into  the  air.  The  warmer 
the  weather  is,  the  sooner  water  will  thus  pass 
off  into  the  air;  and  sometimes  we  can  see  it 
passing  off  in  a  smoke-like  form,  called  vapor. 


to  get  wa- 
ter for  fam- 
ily use,  it  is 
one  of  these 
little  under- 
ground streams  that  fills  his  well  with  water. 
Sometimes  up  on  the  hill-sides  or  the  moun- 
tain-sides these  streams  come  to  the  surface 
of  the  ground  and  bubble  out,  and  then  they 


1 

I 


DAY  AND   NIGHT.— THE   SEASONS. 


15 


are  called  spritigs.  The  water  that  runs  from 
one  of  these  springs  down  the  hill -side  is  a 
rivulet.  Then  several  rivulets  flow  into  a 
larger  stream,  and  that  is  called  a  brook.  At 
length  several  brooks  flow  together  and  make 
a  still  larger  stream,  called  a  branch  of  a  river. 
At  last,  several  branches  mingling  their  waters 
in  one  channel,  form  a  broad,  deep  river,  that 
runs  along  hundreds  of  miles,  perhaps,  until 
it  flows  into  the  ocean.  And  there  is  the  wa- 
ter all  ready  to  rise  in  vapor  and  come  down 
in  rain,  and  run  through  the  springs  and  the 
rivulets  and  the  rivers  to  the  ocean  once  more. 
In  this  way  it  keeps  in  motion  in  a  ceaseless 
round. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Where  does  the  water  on  the  earth  come  from  ? 

It  comes  from  the  ocean. 

How  does  it  come  from  the  ocean  ? 

It  rises  from  the  surface  of  the  ocean  in 
vapor,  which  forms  the  clouds,  and  falls  to 
the  earth  in  rain. 

What  happens  then  ? 

It  sinks  into  the  earth  and  forms  springs  ; 
springs  form  rivulets ;  rivulets  run  together 
and  form  brooks ;  brooks  form  branches  of 
rivers  ;  and  branches  of  rivers  form  the  rivers 
themselves. 


LESSON    IX. 
QUESTIONS  rOR  EEVIEW. 

[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  geography  ?  What  is  the  earth  ?  What  is  the 
surface  of  the  earth  ?  What  does  the  ground  around  us  seem 
to  be  ?  Why  does  it  seem  to  be  part  of  a  plain  ?  What  did 
people  many  years  ago  suppose  the  earth  to  be  ?  How  was 
the  real  form  of  the  earth  found  out  ?  What  other  proof  can 
you  give  that  the  earth  is  round  ? 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  word  "countries,"  as  used  in 
geography  ?  Mention  some  of  the  things  that  we  are  to  learn 
in  our  study  of  geography. 


What  does  the  word  "hemisphere"  mean?  How  many 
hemispheres  are  there  ?  What  are  they  called  ?  How  much 
of  the  earth's  surface  is  land  and  how  much  is  water  ? 

Name  the  divisions  of  the  land.  What  are  continents  ? 
What  are  islands  ?  How  many  continents  are  there  ?  Name 
them.  What  is  a  coral  island?  An  atoll?  A  lagoon?  If 
the  water  of  the  ocean  were  dried  up,  how  would  what  is 
now  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  appear  ?  What  are  most  of  the 
islands  that  rise  out  of  the  ocean  ? 

Name  some  of  the  forms  of  the  land.  What  is  a  moun- 
tain ?  What  is  a  chain  of  mountains  ?  What  is  a  hill  ?  A 
shore  or  coast  ?  A  cape  ?  A  peninsula  ?  An  isthmus  ?  A 
,  plain  ?     A  valley  ? 

Name  some  of  the  forms  of  the  water.  What  is  an  ocean  ? 
How  many  oceans  are  there  ?  What  are  their  names  ?  What 
is  a  lake  ?  A  gulf  or  bay  ?  A  strait  ?  A  channel  ?  A  pond  ? 
What  divisions  of  the  water  correspond  to  the  divisions  of 
the  land  ? 

Where  does  the  water  of  the  earth  come  from  ?  Describe 
the  way  in  which  a  river  is  formed. 


LESSON   X. 
DAY  AND  NIGHT -THE  SEASONS. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Now  we  will  learn  the  causes  of  day  and 
night,  and  of  the  seasons  —  spring,  summer, 
autumn,  and  winter;  and  how  the  sun  keeps 
some  parts  of  the  earth  always  very  hot, 
while  other  parts  are  very  cold.  One  who 
is  studying  geography  needs  to  know  these 
things ;  for  the  kinds  of  productions  that  dif- 
ferent countries  yield — that  is,  their  trees  and 
fruits  and  flowers — the  kinds  of  animals  that 
live  in  them,  and  the  kind  of  business  their 
people  are  engaged  in,  depend  very  much  on 
how  cold  or  hot  it  may  be. 

People  say  "the  sun  rises"  and  "the  sun 
sets."  But  that  is  only  a  way  of  speaking, 
because  the  sun  only  seems  to  rise  and  set. 
In  reality  it  is  not  the  sun  that  moves :  it  is 
the  earth  that  turns  around  or  revolves,  and 
this  makes  the  sun  sceui  to  go  around  it.  For 
the  earth  has  two  different  motions  all  the 
time.  It  turns  around  on  itself — so  to  speak 
— that  is  one  motion  ;  and  it  moves  in  a  circle 
around  the  sun — that  is  the  other  motion. 


16 


THE   EARTH'S   BELTS   OR   ZONES. 


It  turns  around  on  ifself  once  every  twen- 
ty-four hours,  and  thus  causes  day  and  night. 
When  the  earth  turns  so  far  around  that  the 
light  of  the  sun  begins  to  come  to  any  place, 
it  is  morning  at  that  place.  When  it  has 
turned  so  far  that  the  sun  is  up  in  the  middle 
of  the  sky  at  that  place,  then  it  is  noon  there. 
When  it  has  turned  so  much  farther  that  the 
place  begins  to  lose  the  light  of  the  sun,  we 
have  what  is  called  twilight  ;  and  when  the 
light  has  disappeared,  it  is  night.  Thus  it  is 
that  we  have  day  and  night. 

And  not  only  does  the  sun  give  us  light, 
but  it  gives  us  heat  also.  When  is  it  the 
warmer  —  in  the  morning,  when  the  sun  has 
just  risen,  as  people  say;  or  at  noon,  when  it 
is  high  up  in  the  sky  ?  At  noon,  certainly. 
That  is  almost  always  the  warmest  part  of 
the  day.  This  is  because,  when  the  rays  of 
the  sun  fall  slantingly,  or  obliquely,  on  the 
earth,  as  they  do  in  the  early  morning,  they 
do  not  make  it  so  warm  as  when  they  come 
directly  down — that  is,  when  the  sun  is  high 
up  in  the  sky.  So  as  the  sun  goes  down  in 
the  west  at  evening,  it  grows  cooler,  because 
the  rays  fall  very  slantingly  once  more. 

In  like  manner,  the  motion  of  the  earth 
around  the  sun  causes  the  change  of  seasons. 
As  the  earth  moves  around  the  sun,  it  goes 
in  such  a  way  that  the  rays  of  the  sun  fall 
more  and  more  slantingly,  or  obliquely,  on  a 
part  of  it  all  the  time  for  several  months. 
The  weather  grows  cool  —  too  cool  for  the 
flowers  and  the  trees  to  grow.  We  call  this 
cooler  weather  autumn.  At  length  the  rays 
fall  so  obliquely  that  the  ground  freezes,  the 
snow  falls,  ice  covers  the  ponds,  and  winter 
has  come.  By  and  by  the  sun  begins  to  go 
higher  and  higher  in  the  sky  day  after  day  ; 
it  grows  warmer  and  warmer,  and  we  call  the 
warmer  weather  spring.  The  sun  continues 
to  rise  higher  and  higher,  and  when  at  last  it 
is  so  high  every  day  as  to  be  very  warm,  the 
glad,  growing  sujnmer-time  has  come. 


[To  be  Recited.]  --—■f^'" 

Where  does  the  light  we  have  come  from  ? 

It  comes  from  the  sun. 

Does  the  sun  rise  and  set .'' 

It  does  not  ;  it  only  seems  to  rise  and  set. 

Why  does  it  seem  to  rise  and  set  ? 

Because  the  earth  turns  around  on  itself 
every  day,  and  that  makes  the  sun  seem  to 
go  around  the  earth. 

What  two  motions  has  the  earth  ? 

It  is  constantly  turning  around  on  itself, 
and  it  moves  in  a  circle  around  the  sun. 

What  do  these  motions  cause  ? 
One  causes  day  and  night  ;  the  other  causes 
the  seasons. 

Why  is  it  warmer  at  noon  than  it  is  in  the  morning  or 
afternoon  ? 

Because  when  the  sun's  rays  fall  obliquely 
on  the  earth,  as  they  do  in  the  morning  and 
afternoon,  they  do  not  give  so  much  heat  as 
when  the  sun  is  nearly  overhead,  as  at  noon. 

What  makes  the  difference  between  summer  and  winter  ? 

The  sun's  daily  path  across  the  sky  is  much 
higher  in  summer  than  in  winter,  and,  there- 
fore, its  rays  are  warmer. 


LESSON   XI. 
THE  EAETH'S  BELTS  OR  ZONES. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Where  we  live,  and  in  some  other  parts  of 
the  earth,  the  delightful  changes  of  the  sea- 
sons take  place.  We  have  the  succession  of 
spring,  summer,  autumn,  and  winter.  But  in 
some  parts  of  the  earth  it  is  very  warm,  night 
and  day,  all  the  year  ;  and  in  other  parts  it  is 
always  very  cold. 

We  have  learned  that  when  the  sun  goes 
very  high  up  in  the  sky,  in  its  daily  course, 
its  rays  are  very  warm.     So  this  warm  region 


THE   EARTH'S   BELTS   OR   ZONES. 


17 


must  be  where  the  sun's  path,  day  after  day, 
all  the  year  round,  is  very  high  up  in  the  sky. 
In  the  picture  below  is  a  boy  holding  a  ball 
before  a  lamp  by  the  ends  of  a  rod  that  is 
run  through  it.  If  he  turns  the  ball  around 
before  the  flame  of  the  lamp,  the  light  will 
fall  directly  on  the  part  that  rounds  out  tow- 
ards it  the  most ;  and  on  the  part  on  each 
side  through  which  the  rod  comes  out  it  will 
fall  very  obliquely. 


Suppose  this  flame  to  be  the  sun,  and  this 
ball  to  be  the  earth  turning  around  once  ev- 
ery day,  which  part  of  the  earth  will  be  the 
hottest  ?  It  will  be  the  part  that  rounds  out 
the  most  towards  the  sun,  and  on  which  its 
rays,  therefore,  fall  directly,  or  vertically.  And 
which  parts  will  always  be  very  cold  ?  Plain- 
ly, those  parts  where  the  sun's  rays  fall  very 
obliquely ;  and  they  are  found  where  the  rod 
comes  through  the  ball. 

As  the  earth  goes  whirling  around  on  itself, 
the  part  that  rounds  out  most  towards  the 
sun  is  always  very  warm.  There  is  no  winter 
there — no  ice,  no  snow. 

There  the  strange,  great  animals  live — the 
elephant,  the  rhinoceros,  the  lion,  and  the  ti- 
ger.     On   the  borders  of  the  rivers  of  those 


hot  countries  we  find  the  terrible  water-beasts 
— the  hippopotamus  and  the  crocodile.  The 
trees  there  are  very  different  from  our  trees. 
There  we  find  palms,  with  their  great,  broad 
leaves,  like  so  many  outspread  fans.  There, 
too,  we  find  the  trees  from  which  India-rubber, 
or  caoutchouc,  is  obtained;  and  it  is  out  of  the 
forests  of  those  regions  that  men  get  the  most 
beautiful  kinds  of  wood  of  which  furniture  is 
made,  such  as  rosewood  and  mahogany.  The 
fruits,  too,  are  different  from  ours.  Cocoa- 
nuts,  bananas,  oranges,  dates,  and  tamarinds 
come  from  those  countries  ;  there  are  found 
the  rich-scented  spices  ;  and  there  the  sugar- 
cane grows,  from  which  come  sugar  and  mo- 
lasses. 

It  can  not  be  very  pleasant  to  live  where 
the  vertical  sun  is  so  dazzling  and  so  hot  all 
the  time.  And  it  must  be  still  more  unpleas- 
ant to  live  in  those  other  parts  of  the  world 
where  it  is  always  very  cold.  In  those  cold 
regions  the  ice  seldom  or  never  melts  ;  the 
trees  are  very  small,  and  no  grass,  no  fruit,  no 
flowers,  can  grow.  The  people  dress  in  seal- 
skins, to  protect  themselves  from  the  terrible 
cold.  They  live  on  the  fat  of  the  whale,  the 
seal,  and  the  walrus,  and  travel  over  the  ice 
and  snow  in  sledges  drawn  by  dogs. 

It  is  about  midway  between  these  very  hot 
regions  and  these  very  cold  regions  that  we 
live,  and  our  climate  is  temperate  and  de- 
lightful. Cocoa-nuts  and  pine-apples  do  not 
grow  in  our  fields,  but  we  have  apples  and 
pears  and  plums  and  cherries.  Our  farms  do 
not  produce  coffee  and  spices,  but  they  can 
produce  grass  and  corn  and  wheat  and  vegeta- 
bles. Our  forests  do  not  have  rosewood  and 
mahogany  trees  in  them,  but  they  have  noble 
oaks  and  pines  and  maples  and  beeches.  And 
instead  of  elephants  and  monkeys  and  beasts 
of  prey,  we  have  horses  and  cattle  and  sheep 
and  other  animals  very  useful  to  mankind. 

The  picture  on  the  next  page  represents 
the  earth  as  the  rays  of  the  sun  fall  upon  it, 


18 


THE   EARTH'S   BELTS   OR  ZONES. 


i 


making   some  parts  very  warm,  while  other 
parts  are  very  cold. 

The  picture  also  shows  how  the  earth  is 
divided  into  five  belts  or  zones.  The  word 
2one  means  belt.  In  the  middle  is  the  zone 
on  which  the  rays  of  the  sun  fall  vertically, 
and  which  is,  therefore,  very  hot.  This  is 
named  the  hot,  or  torrid,  zone.  Next  to  this 
zone,  on  each  side,  is  another,  on  which  the 
sun's  rays  fall  a  little  obliquely,  and  which, 
therefore,  has  a  temperate  and  pleasant  cli- 
mate. These  two  zones  are  called  the  tem- 
perate zones.  The  word  temperate  means 
moderate.  One  is  the  North  Temperate 
Zone,  the  other  is  the  South  Temperate  Zone. 
Beyond  them,  still  farther  away,  are  zones  on 
which  the  sun's  rays  fall  very  obliquely,  and 
which  are,  therefore,  very  cold.  These  zones 
are  called  the  frigid  zones.  The  word  frigid 
means  very  cold. 

We  see  growing  in  each  of  the  zones  the 
kind  of  vegetation  that  belongs  to  it,  and  we 
see  some  of  the  animals  that  live  in  it.  How 
different  the  scenery,  the  vegetation,  and  the 


animals  of  the  Torrid  Zone  from  those  of  the 
desolate  and  dreary  Frigid  Zone !  ^. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Are  there  four  seasons  in  all  parts  of  the  earth  ? 

There  are  not.  Some  parts  of  the  earth 
are  always  very  warm,  and  other  parts  are 
always  very  cold. 

Where  are  the  regions  that  are  always  very  warm  ? 
They  are  where  the  sun  is  vertical,  or  near- 
ly so,  all  the  year. 

Where  are  the  regions  that  are  always  very  cold  ? 
They  are  where  the   rays   of  the  sun  fall 
very  obliquely  all  the  year. 

How  is  the  earth's  surface  divided  > 

Into  five  belts  or  zones. 

What  is  the  middle  zone  called,  and  why? 

It  is  called  the  Torrid  Zone,  because  it  is 
the  region  on  which  the  sun's  rays  fall  verti- 
cally, and  where  it  is  very  warm. 

What  are  the  zones  next  to  the  Torrid  Zone  called  ? 
One  is  called  the  North  Temperate  Zone, 


THE   EQUATOR,  AXIS,  AND    POLES.— DIRECTION   AND   DISTANCE. 


19 


the  other  the  South  Temperate  Zone,  because 
there  the  sun's  rays  fall  so  as  to  make  the  cli- 
mate temperate. 

What  are  the  other  two  zones  called  ? 

They  are  called  the  Frigid  Zones,  because 
there  the  sun's  rays  fall  very  obliquely,  and 
it  is  always  very  cold. 


LESSON    XII. 
THE  EQUATOR,  AXIS,  AND  POLES. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Let  us  look  again  at  the  picture  of  the 
boy  turning  a  ball  before  the  flame  of  a  lamp. 
He  turns  it  by  means  of  a  rod  that  runs 
through  the  centre  of  it,  and  that  rod  is  called 
the  axis  of  the  ball.  The  points  where  the 
axis  comes  out  of  the  ball  are  said  to  be  its 
poles. 

The  ball  is  intended  to  represent  the  earth 
as  it  turns  or  revolves  before  the  sun.  But 
the  earth  has  no  rod  running  through  it,  for 
it  revolves  only  on  itself.  Still,  it  is  much 
easier  to  talk  about  the  earth's  motions  by 
supposing  that  it  does  have  a  real  axis  on 
which  it  turns  ;  and  therefore  people  speak 
of  the  axis  of  the  earth  as  though  there  were 
one  actually  running  through  its  centre  ;  and 
o{t\iQ  poles  of  the  earth, 
just  as  though  an  axis 
came  out  of  it,  as  the 
rod  comes  out  of  the 
ball. 

The  axis  of  the  earth 
is  a  line  that  is  imag- 
ined to  pass  through  its 
centre,  and  on  which  it 
turns ;  and  the  poles  of 
the  earth  are  the  points  at  the  ends  of  the 
axis.  One  is  called  the  North  Pole,  the  other 
the  South  Pole. 


-^oTtWoTe 


*'out]i  ro^^ 


The  figure  just  given  represents  the  West- 
ern Hemisphere.  It  shows  where  the  poles 
are,  and  where  the  divisions  between  the 
zones  are.  It  also  shows  a  line  that  is  im- 
agined to  pass  around  the  earth,  equally  dis- 
tant from  each  pole.  This  line  is  called  the 
Equator. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Has  the  earth  a  real  axis  on  which  it  turns  ? 
It  has  not.     It  turns  only  on  itself. 

Do  people  talk  about  the  earth  as  though  it  had  a  real 
axis .'' 

They  do  ;  because  that  makes  it  easier  to 
describe  its  motions. 

What,  then,  is  the  axis  of  the  earth  ? 

It  is  a  line  imagined  to  pass  through  its 
centre,  and  on  which  it  revolves. 

What  are  the  poles  of  the  earth  ? 
They  are  points  imagined  to  be  at  the  ends 
of  the  earth's  axis. 

How  many  poles  has  the  earth  ? 

It  has  two  poles. 

What  are  they  called  ? 

One  is  called  the  North  Pole,  the  other  the 
South  Pole. 

What  is  the  Equator  ? 

It  is  a  line  imagined  to  pass  around  the 
earth  equally  distant  from  each  pole. 


LESSON    XIII. 

DIRECTION  AND  DISTANCE. 

[To  be  Read.] 

We  can  not  go  very  far  in  the  study  of 
geography  until  we  know  how  to  determine 
the  direction  and  distance  of  one  place  from 
another.     This  we  will  now  learn. 

The  circle  all  around  us,  where  the  earth 
and  sky  seem  to  meet,  is  called  the  horizon ; 


20 


DIRECTION   AND    DISTANCE. 


and  that  part  of  the  horizon  where  the  sun 
rises  is  called  the  cast. 


i»s:#^? 


tKSt- 


'~:^''<--^  sov)\w  '^ 


The  boy  in  the  picture  is  pointing  with  his 
right  hand  to  the  east,  where  the  sun  is  rising. 
With  his  left  hand  he  is  pointing  to  the  part 
of  the  horizon  where  the  sun  will  set,  and  that 
is  called  the  ivcst.  The  part  which  he  is  fac- 
ing is  called  the  nortli,  and  the  part  behind 
him  is  the  south. 

Now  with  these  names  we  can  tell  any- 
body in  what  direction  to  go  to  find  any 
place  he  is  seeking.  For  if  the  place  is  to 
the  northward,  we  shall  tell  him  to  go  north. 
If  the  place  is  to  the  southward,  we  shall  tell 
him  to  go  south.  If  it  lies  half-way  between 
north  and  east,  we  shall  tell  him  to  go  north- 
east ;  or  if  it  lies  half-way  between  the  east 
and  the  south,  we  shall  tell  him  to  go  south- 
east. In  like  manner,  we  have  the  names 
northwest  and  southwest  for  directions  half- 
way between  north 
and  west  and  south 
and  west. 

All  these  directions, 
taken  together,  make 
up  what  are  called 
the  points  of  the  com- 
pass. And  because 
north,  south,  east,  and 
west  are  the  chief 
points,  they  are  called 
SOUTH  the  cardinal  points. 


NORTH 


But  in  our  study  of  geography  it  is  neces- 
sary to  have  not  only  a  name  for  the  direc- 
tion of  one  place  from  another,  but  also  a 
name  to  measure  the  distance  between  them. 

We  have  often  heard  people  mention  the 
common  measures  of  length  or  distance,  such 
as  inches,  and  feet,  and  yards,  and  miles. 

Here  is  the  measure  of  an  inch.     It  is  the 


shortest  measure  of  length  or  distance  that 
people  use.  Twelve  inches  make  2l  foot — that 
is  the  next  larger  measure  of  distance.  It  is 
needful  for  us  to  learn  these  measures,  so  that 
we  may  be  able  to  know  them  or  to  make 
them  wherever  we  may  be. 

Also  we  need  to  know  how  long  a  mile  is, 
because  so  many  distances  are  given  in  miles. 
Perhaps  we  can  think  of  some  object  —  a 
street  or  a  house,  or  something  else — that  is 
a  mile,  or  part  of  a  mile,  away  from  our 
school  -  house  ;  and  by  bearing  in  mind  how 
long  the  distance  seems,  we  shall  be  able  to 
understand  the  length  of  a  mile. 

As  soon  as  we  understand  the  length  of  a 
mile,  we  can  form  a  notion  of  what  a  very 
great  ball  the  earth  is;  for  the  distance  around 
it  is  nearly  25,000  miles. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  the  horizon  ? 

It  is  the  circle  where  the  earth  and  sky 
seem  to  meet. 

Where  is  east  ? 

It  is  that  part  of  the  horizon  where  the  sun 
rises. 

Where  is  west  ? 

It  is  that  part  of  the  horizon  where  the 
sun  sets. 

Where  are  north  and  south  ? 

If  we  extend  our  right  arm  towards  the 
east,  and  our  left  arm  towards  the  west,  the 


WHAT    MAPS   ARE. 


21 


part  towards  which  we  face  is  the  north,  and 
the  part  behind  us  is  the  south. 

What  other  points  of  direction  are  there  ? 

Half-way  between  north  and  east  is  north- 
east ;  half-  way  between  north  and  west  is 
northwest  ;  half-way  between  south  and  east 
is  southeast  ;  half-  way  between  south  and 
west  is  southwest. 

What  are  these  directions,  taken  together,  called  ? 

The  points  of  the  compass. 

What  are  north,  south,  east,  and  west  called  ? 

They  are  called  the  cardinal  points,  because 
they  are  the  chief  points. 

What  is  the  distance  around  the  earth  ? 

About  25,000  miles. 


LESSON    XIV. 

WHAT    MAPS    AKE. 
[To  be  Read.] 

In  studying  geography  we  do  not  need  to 
see  pretty  pictures  of  places  so  much  as  we 
need  to  find  out  how  much  ground  they  oc- 
cupy, and  in  what  shape  they  occupy  it.  It 
is  important  also  to  be  able  to  see  the  direc- 
tion in  which  one  place  in  a  country,  or  on  a 
continent,  lies  from  some  other  place,  and  to 
measure  how  far  it  is  from  one  to  the  other ; 
or  to  see,  at  a  glance,  how  a  chain  of  moun- 
tains extends  through  a  country  or  a  conti- 
nent ;  or  how  a  river  flows  through  it,  from 
its  source  all  the  way  to  its  mouth. 

This  can  not  be  done  by  means  of  pictures, 
as  we  can  easily  see  ;  for  pictures  can  not  tell 
us  either  distances  or  directions.  How  shall 
we  accomplish  it  ? 

Simply  by  marking  off  with  lines  on  a  piece 
of  paper,  or  other  flat  surface,  the  objects  we 
wish  to  represent,  according  to  the  shape  they 
have  where  they  rest  on  the  ground.  Here, 
for  instance,  is  a  picture  of  a  city.  In  it 
4 


we  can  see  the  shape  of  the  houses,  and  the 
church  steeples  rising  into  the  air,  and  the 
ships  lying  at  the  piers. 


Below  is  a  picture  of  another  city.  Like 
the  former  one,  it  gives  us  a  good  idea  of  the 
city  which  it  represents.  But  these  views 
of  the  two  cities  are  not  what  is  wanted. 
The  cities  are  several  miles  apart  —  one  on 
the  right  bank,  the  other  on  the  left  bank, 
of  a  river.  There  is  a  bridge  across  the  river 
about  half-way  between  the  cities,  a  lake  on 
one  side,  and  a  range  of  hills  some  miles 
farther  away,  extending  into  the  distance, 
in  which  the  river  has  its  source.  What  is 
wanted  is  some  plan  by  means  of  which  all 
these  things — the  course  of  the  river,  and  the 
position  of  the  mountains,  the  lake,  the  bridge, 
and  the  cities — may  be  seen  at  one  view,  so 
that  the  size  of  each  can  be  known  as  com- 
pared with  the  size  of  the  others,  and  the  di- 


rection in  which  one  lies  from  another.  This 
can  not  be  done  by  the  use  of  pictures.  So 
lines  are  drawn  to  represent  the  comparative 


22 


CONTINENTS   AND   OCEANS. 


size  of  each  of  these  objects,  and  its  true  posi- 
tion, in  this  way : 


In  making  these  lines  and  marks  we  have 
made  a  map ;  and  though  it  only  tells  us 
the  size  and  shape  of  the  several  objects,  yet 
we  get  a  good  idea  of  how  they  are  situated, 
and  in  what  direction  one  is  from  another. 

Now,  in  the  same  way  that  we  can  make 
a  map  that  shall  represent  only  a  few  places 
which  are  near  each  other,  we  can  make  those 
that  shall  represent  a  large  extent  of  country, 
with  its  bays,  rivers,  mountains,  cities,  lakes, 
and  other  objects  on  its  surface.  For  we  can 
have  a  map  made  larger  or  smaller  in  size,  just 
as  we  please,  no  matter  how  great  an  extent 
of  country  it  is  intended  to  show.  The  map 
of  a  whole  continent  has  been  correctly  en- 
graved on  a  piece  of  silver  no  larger  than  a 
dime. 

The  maps  in  this  book  are  so  made  that 
the  top  is  north,  the  right-hand  side  is  east, 
the  bottom  is  south,  and  the  left-hand  side  is 
west.     Most  maps  are  made  in  this  way. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  a  map  ? 

It  is  a  representation  of  the  whole  or  a  part 
of  the  earth's  surface  by  means  of  lines  and 
marks  on  a  flat  surface. 

What  part  of  a  map  is  north  ?     East  ?     South  ?    West  ? 

The  top  is  north,  the  right-hand  side  is  east, 
the  bottom  is  south,  and  the  left-hand  side  is 

west. 


I 


LESSON   XV. 
QUESTIONS  FOE  EEVIEW. 
[To  be  Recited.] 

Does  the  sun  rise  and  set  ?  Why  does  it  seem  to  rise  and 
set  ?  What  two  motions  has  the  earth  ?  What  causes  day 
and  night  ?  Describe  this  motion.  What  causes  the  sea- 
sons ?     Describe  this  motion.     Name  the  seasons. 

How  many  zones  are  there  ?  Name  them.  Where  is  the 
Torrid  Zone  ?  Wliere  are  the  Temperate  Zones  ?  Where 
are  the  Frigid  Zones  ? 

What  is  the  earth's  "  axis  ?"  What  are  its  poles  ?  How 
many  poles  has  the  earth?  What  are  they  called?  What 
is  the  Equator?  What  is  the  horizon?  Where  is  east? 
West  ?  North  ?  South  ?  Northeast  ?  Northwest  ?  South- 
east ?  Southwest  ?  What  are  the  points  of  the  compass  ? 
Which  are  the  cardinal  points  ?  What  is  the  distance  around 
the  earth  ?  What  is  a  map  ?  What  part  of  a  map  is  north  ? 
East?     South?     West?  < 


LESSON   XVI. 


r 


CONTINENTS  AND  OCEANS. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Continents. — We  have  already  learned  that 
one  of  the  hemispheres  is  called  the  Western 
Hemisphere  and  the  other  the  Eastern  Hemi- 
sphere. The  former  is  also  called  the  "  New 
World  "  and  the  latter  the  "  Old  World."  It 
happened  in  this  way: 

Four  hundred  years  ago  the  people  of 
Europe,  which  is  a  continent  of  the  Eastern 
Hemisphere,  knew  nothing  about  America. 
They  did  not  know  that  there  was  such  a 
country.  Nearly  every  one  believed  the  earth 
to  be  a  vast  plain. 


CONTINENTS   AND    OCEANS. 


9? 


But  in  1492,  Christopher  Columbus,  who 
beheved  that  the  earth  was  round,  procured 
three  small  vessels,  and  set  sail  towards  the 
setting  sun.  He  did  not  know  any  thing  of 
America.  He  supposed  he  should  sail  directly 
around  to  the  East  Indies,  which  is  the  name 
of  a  portion  of  Southern  Asia  and  the  neigh- 
boring islands.  But  after  a  long  voyage  of 
seventy-one  days  he  came  to  a  strange  land  ; 
and  when  he  returned  home  and  told  the  peo- 
ple of  Europe  stories  of  the  wonderful  coun- 
try he  had  discovered,  they  talked  about  it 
by  the  name  of  the  "  New  World,"  for  it  had 
no  name  then,  and  it  has  been  called  by  that 
name  ever  since. 

We  have  learned  that  the  Eastern  Hemi- 
sphere contains  four  continents — Europe,  Asia, 
Africa,  and  Australia.  These  continents,  ex- 
cept Australia,  which  had  not  then  been  dis- 
covered, were  called  the  "  Old  World,"  as  soon 
as  people  began  to  talk  about  North  America 
and  South  America  as  the  "  New  World." 

Oceans. — There  are  broad  streams  of  water 
that  flow  through  the  oceans.  They  are  called 
ocean  currents.  One  of  the  most  remarkable 
is  the  great  current  of  warm  water  called  the 
Gulf  Stream.  It  is  so  called  because  it  seems 
to  start  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  It  flows  out 
into  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  keeping  its  warm  wa- 
ter all  the  time  separate  from  the  much  colder 
water  of  the  ocean.  It  sweeps  along  the  coast 
of  North  America,  and  then,  bending  towards 
the  east,  washes  the  shores  of  Europe,  and 
reaches  even  as  far  north  as  Iceland. 

Iceland,  were  it  not  for  this  warm  ocean  cur- 
rent, would  be  much  colder  than  it  now  is,  and 
could  have  no  settled  population  ;  for  nothing 
could  grow  for  inhabitants  to  live  upon.  But 
the  Gulf  Stream  helps  to  make  the  climate 
quite  temperate,  and  the  whole  coast  of  Eu- 
rope is  made  milder  and  pleasanter  by  it. 

There  is  a  warm  current  in  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
just  as  there  is  in  the  Atlantic.  It  flows  up  the 
coast  of  Asia,  and  then,  bending  around,  washes 


the  shores  of  North  America.  It  is  this  cur- 
rent, in  part,  that  prevents  the  west  coast  of 
North  America  from  having  a  cold  and  disa- 
greeable climate. 

The  position  and  course  of  these  remarkable 
ocean  currents  are  represented  on  the  map  by 
fine  white  lines  traced  on  the  blue  color  of  the 
ocean.     (See  maps  on  pages  24  and  25.) 

The  most  important  ocean  thus  far  in  the 
world's  history  has  been  the  Atlantic ;  for  it 
lies  between  Europe  and  America,  and  the 
most  civilized  nations  have  lived  on  or  near 
its  borders,  and  carried  on  commerce  across 
its  stormy  waters.  Thousands  of  vessels  are 
constantly  crossing  and  recrossing  it. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  the  Western  Hemisphere  sometimes  called  ? 

It  is  sometimes  called  the  "  New  World." 

What  is  the  Eastern  Hemisphere  called .'' 

It  is  called  the  "  Old  World." 

What  is  the  Gulf  Stream  ? 

It  is  a  current  of  warm  water. 

Describe  its  course. 

It  starts  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  flows 
northward  along  the  coast  of  North  America ; 
then,  bending  towards  the  east,  it  washes  the 
shores  of  Europe,  and  reaches  even  as  far 
north  as  Iceland. 

What  effect  does  it  produce  ? 

It  makes  the  coast  of  Europe  and  its  islands 
much  warmer  than  they  would  otherwise  be. 

Is  there  a  similar  warm  current  in  the  Pacific  Ocean  ? 
There  is. 

What  effect  does  it  produce  ? 

It  helps  to  prevent  the  west  coast  of  North 
America  from  having  a  cold  and  disagreeable 
climate. 

Which  has  been  the  most  important  ocean  thus  far  ? 

The  Atlantic  Ocean  ;  because  the  most  civ- 
ilized nations  of  the  world  have  lived  on  or 
near  its  borders. 


y^ 


v-^ 


THE  NEW  WORLD. 


^fi'iylu,  1S77,  b^Uan^n  i.  Drulhiri 


WESTERN  HEMISPHERE. 


Questions  on  the  Map  of  the  Western  Hemisphere.— What 

continents  are  in  the  Western  Hemisphere  ?  What  isthmus 
connects  them  ?  Which  of  these  continents  is  north  of  the 
Equator?  Which  is  crossed  by  the  Equator?  What  ocean 
is  east  of  tliese  two  continents  ?  What  ocean  is  west  of  them  ? 
What  ocean  is  north  of  North  America  ?  What  strait  con- 
nects the  Arctic  Ocean  with  the  Pacific  Ocean  ?     What  bay 


is  between  the  Arctic  Ocean  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean  ?  What 
ocean  is  in  the  southern  part  of  the  Western  Hemisphere  ? 
What  other  name  has  it  ?  {T^e  Southern  Ocean.)  What  sea 
is  between  North  America  and  South  America  ?  What  ocean 
current  is  east  of  North  America  ?  What  one  is  west  ?  What 
continent  is  northwest  of  North  America  ?  What  strait  sep- 
arates them  ? 


THE   OLD   WORLD. 


t«i 


^'J>^,   1877,  ij,   Harrn  r^"'^"'- 


EASTERN   HEMISPHERE. 


Questions  on  the  Map  of  the  Eastern  Hemisphere.— What 

continents  are  in  the  Eastern  Hemisphere  ?  What  isthmus 
connects  Africa  with  Asia  ?  Which  two  of  these  continents 
are  north  of  the  Equator?  Which  one  is  crossed  by  the 
Equator  ?  Which  is  south  of  the  Equator  ?  What  ocean  is 
east  of  Asia  ?  What  ocean  is  south  of  Asia  ?  What  ocean  is 
west  of  Europe  and  Africa  ?     What  ocean  is  north  of  Europe 


and  Asia  ?  What  ocean  is  south  of  tTie  Indian  Ocean  ?  What 
sea  is  between  Europe  and  Africa?  What  strait  connects 
the  Mediterranean  Sea  with  the  Atlantic  Ocean  ?  What  seas 
are  between  Europe  and  Asia?  What  sea  is  between  Asia 
and  Africa  ?  What  ocean  current  is  east  of  Asia  ?  What  one 
is  northwest  of  Europe  ?  Which  is  the  largest  of  the  six  con- 
tinents ?     Which  is  the  smallest? 


26 


NORTH   AMERICA  :   QUESTIONS   ON   THE   MAP.— SIZE   AND   SURFACE. 


NORTH    AMERICA. 


LESSON    XVII. 
QUESTIONS  ON  THE  MAP. 
[To  be  Recited.] 

What  ocean  is  north  of  North  America?  What  ocean  is 
east?  What  one  is  west?  What  sea  is  between  North 
America  and  South  America  ?  What  istlimus  connects  North 
America  with  South  America?  What  strait  separates  North 
America  from  Asia?  What  ocean  and  sea  does  it  connect? 
What  bay  and  strait  connect  the  ^Arctic  Ocean  with  the  At- 
I  lantic  Ocean  ?  '*-"',   , 

-T"  What  is  a  mountaui" system?  (A  nibtmtain  systevi  consis, 
of  several  parallel  chains  or  ranges  of  mountains.)  What 
mountain  system  is  in  the  eastern  part  of  North  America  ? 
What  mountain  system  begins  at  the  Arctic  Ocean  and  ex- 
tends the  entire  length  of  the  western  part  of  the  continent  ? 
What  is  the  southern  part  of  this  system  called?  What 
ranges  of  mountains  are  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  ? 


What  two  countries  occupy  the  greater  part  of  North 
America?  What  country  is  northeast  of  British  America? 
What  country  is  south  ?  What  country  is  southwest  of  the 
United  States  ?     What  country  is  southeast  of  Mexico  ? 

To  what  country  in  Europe  does  Danish  America  belong  ? 
{Denmark.)  Of  what  two  islands  does  Danish  America  con- 
sist ?  To  what  country  in  Europe  does  British  America  be- 
long ?  {Great  Britain.)  What  territory  of  the  United  States 
is  northwest  of  British  America  ?  What  bay  is  in  the  eastern 
part  of  British  America  ?  What  river  in  the  northwestern 
part  flows  into  the  Arctic  Ocean  ?  What  two  rivers  flow 
into  Hudson  Bay  ?  What  gulf  is  east  of  British  America  ? 
What  river  flows  into  it  ?  What  large  island  is  east  of  Brit- 
ish America  ? 

What  lakes  are  between  the  United  States  and  British 
America  ?  What  gulf  is  south  of  the  United  States  ?  What 
four  rivers  of  the  United  States  flow  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean? 
What  large  river  flows  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico?  What  one 
flows  into  the  Pacific  Ocean  ?  What  group  of  large  islands 
is  southeast  of  the  United  States  ?  Name  the  four  largest. 
What  is  the  capital  and  chief  city  of  Cuba  ?  What  group  of 
small  islands  is  north  of  the  West  Indies  ? 


LESSON   XVIII. 
SIZE   AND   SURFACE. 

[To  be  Read.] 

We  will  now  study  each  continent,  one 
after  another  —  its  countries,  its  climate,  its 
people,  its  animals,  its  productions,  and  many- 
other  things  that  it  will  be  important  as  well 
as  pleasant  for  us  to  know ;  and  so,  step  by 
step,  we  shall  get  a  little  knowledge  of  the 
whole  world.  We  will  take  North  America 
first,  because  that  is  the  continent  on  which 
we  live. 

Size. — We  will  first  learn  something  about 
its  size.  It  extends  from  the  Arctic  Ocean 
on  the  north — the  region  of  perpetual  ice — 
through  the  whole  width  of  the  North  Tem- 
perate Zone,  into  the  Torrid  Zone — the  zone 
of  melting  heats  and  abundant  vegetation. 
So  it  has  all  kinds  of  climate  and  all  kinds 
of  scenery  and  productions. 


It  is  about  4500  miles  long,  and  more  than 
3000  miles  wide  in  its  widest  part.  It  has 
three  oceans  and  a  vast  gulf  for  its  bound- 
aries. It  has  the  Arctic  Ocean  on  the  north, 
the  Atlantic  Ocean  on  the  east,  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  on  the  south  (in  part),  and  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean  on  the  west  and  south. 

Surface.  —  We  will  next  learn  about  its  sur- 
face— how  much  of  it  is  level  and  how  much 
mountainous ;  how  much  is  fertile  and  how 
much  rocky  or  sandy  and  barren;  where  the 
rivers  are  and  what  parts  of  the  territory  they 
drain. 

Look  on  the  map  at  the  dark,  irregular 
figures  that  are  meant  to  represent  mount- 
ains. See  how  mountainous  some  parts  of 
this  continent  are,  and  how  the  mountains 
stand  in  long  chains  or  ranges  extending  al- 
ways northward  and  southward.  Near  the 
coast,  in  the  eastern  part,  extending  from 
the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  nearly  to  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  is  what  is  called  the  Appalachian 


.'«'. 


^i^ffloti' 


io 


3o 


in 


io 


A: 


-^   vt"  Volcano 


T  -- 


ii-zUiijua 


Popocatepetl  Voicifid'^;  ■*>. 


MAP  OF 

NORTH  AMERICA. 


o  i^  yx 


.\j 


.^* 


^ 


\'^„^ 


y^t- 


Wi' 


Pi----' 


r&^ 


O    V   L  i^ 


IVeraCruz 


^* 


Scalp  of  MileB 

0      JOO     2W     300     4itn     600 


p'^^Tl 


Ju,ouu  Sii.miluH 


L^C» 


A^ 


^« 


—7,' 


•^ 


nte 


J- 


/  '  so 


Longitude    West     80      from  Wasliingtou 


1 — 1 — r-i — I — 
Luuf;itu(leEa§<  I" 


Gf>f'ij  right,  1S77,  by  Harper  t&  Brother  i. 


28 


NORTH   AMERICA:    SIZE   AND   SURFACE. 


[Ap-pa-la'-chi-an]  system.  These  mountains 
are  not  very  high  —  not  nearly  so  high  as 
those  of  some  other  systems  —  but  they  are 
very  valuable  to  the  United  States ;  for  in 
them  is  found  much  of  the  coal  on  which 
millions  of  people  depend  for  their  house- 
hold fires,  and  for  the  steam  which  they  use 
in  carrying  on  their  different  occupations. 
In  and  near  these  mountains,  too,  are  mines 
of  iron,  the  metal  from  which  so  many  useful 
things  are  made. 

Leaving  the  Appalachian  system  and  going 
westward,  we  pass  over  a  broad  space  in 
which  there  are  no  mountains,  and  come  to  a 
very  long  system  that  begins  on  the  borders 
of  the  Arctic  Ocean  and  extends  the  whole 
length  of  the  continent.  The  northern  part 
of  this  great  system  is  called  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  The  southern  part  is  called  the 
Sierra  Madre  [Se-er'-rah  Mah'-dray].  Sierra 
means  a  satv ;  and  these  mountains  are  called 
by  this  name  because  at  a  distance  the  sharp 
peaks  look  like  the  teeth  of  a_  saw. 

The  Rocky  Mountains  are  very  high.  Some 
of  their  peaks  reach  the  height  of  from  14,000 
to  15,000  feet.  In  these  mountains  are  valu- 
able mines  of  gold  and  silver.  Here,  too,  is 
some  of  the  grandest  scenery  in  the  world. 

Still  farther  to  the  west  are  parallel  ranges 
called  the  Cascade  Mountains,  the  Sierra  Ne- 
vada [Nay-vah'-dah],  and  the  Coast  Ranges. 
The  Sierra  Nevada  are  very  high,  their  loftiest 
peaks  being  always  covered  with  snow ;  and 
in  these  mountains,  as  in  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, are  rich  stores  of  gold  and  silver,  which 
thousands  of  persons  are  always  busy  in  dig- 
ging out,  down  in  the  dark  caves  called  mines. 

There  is  another  important  thing  for  us  to 
know  about  the  mountains  of  North  Amer- 
ica. Here  and  there  in  the  ranges  near  the 
coast  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  are  those  awful 
wonders  of  creation  called  volcanoes.  These 
are  mountains  that  send  forth  flames,  ashes, 
and  melted  rocks  from  their  tops.     They  be- 


gin as  far  north  as  the  Alaska  peninsula,  and 
follow  the  coast  to  South  America,  being  most 
numerous  in  the  southern  part. 


VOLCANO  AND   EARTHQUAKE. 

Wherever  volcanoes  are  found  there  are 
likely  to  be  earthquakes;  and  in  Mexico  and 
Central  America  cities  are  sometimes  de- 
stroyed and  many  lives  lost  by  means  of 
these  terrible  convulsions  of  the  earth. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

How  many  miles  long  is  North  America? 

It  is  about  4500  miles  long. 

How  many  miles  wide? 

It  is  3000  miles  wide  in  its  widest  part. 

How  many  mountain  systems  has  it  ? 

It  has  three  mountain  systems. 

Name  the  two  principal  systems. 

The  Appalachian   system   and   the   Rocky 
Mountain  system. 

What  mountain  ranges  are  near  the  western  coast  1 
The  Sierra  Nevada,  the  Cascade  Range,  and 
the  Coast  Ranges. 

Which  of  these  mountain  ranges  are  the  highest? 

The  Rocky  Mountains  and  the  Sierra  Ne- 
vada are  the  highest. 

What  is  the  height  of  their  summits? 

Many  of  their  summits  range  from  14,000 
feet  to  15,000  feet  high. 

In  what  part  of  North  America  are  the  volcanoes  ? 
They  are  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  are  most 
numerous  in  the  southern  oart. 


NORTH   AMERICA:    LAKES   AND   ISLANDS. 


29 


LESSON  XIX. 
LAKES  AND  ISLANDS. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Lakes.  —  We  will  now  learn  something 
about  the  "Great  Lakes"  of  North  America, 
for  they  are  very  remarkable.  Their  names 
are :  Lake  Superior,  Lake  Michigan,  Lake 
Huron,  Lake  Erie,  and  Lake  Ontario.  They 
are  really  vast  inland  fresh-water  seas.  Lake 
Superior,  the  largest,  is  355  miles  long  and 
160  miles  wide.  These  lakes  are  joined  to- 
gether by  straits  and  rivers,  and  great  cities 
have  grown  up  on  their  shores  in  consequence 
of  the  commerce  that  is  carried  on  across 
their  waters. 

Between  two  of  these  lakes,  Erie  and  On- 
tario, is  that  wonder  of  the  world,  the  "  Falls 
of  Niagara,"  where  the  waters  of  Lake  Erie 
plunge  down  a  precipice  of  163  feet.  There 
are  some  cataracts  that  are  higher  than  this ; 
but  no  one  is  known  where  the  quantity  of 
falling  water  is  so  immense.  The  noise  of 
the  falls  is  heard  several  miles  away. 

There  are  other  very  large  lakes  on  this  con- 
tinent, but  they  are  too  far  north  to  be  useful. 

Islands.  —  Some  of  the  islands  of  North 
America  are  large  and  important.  Iceland, 
250  miles  east  of  Greenland,  in  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,  belongs  to  a  country  in  Europe  called 
Denmark.  The  climate  is  softened  by  the 
Gulf  Stream,  and  grass  and  several  kinds  of 
vegetables  are  produced.  The  inhabitants 
are  well-educated  and  industrious.  The  isl- 
and has  many  volcanoes  and  hot  springs,  or 
geysers. 

Greenland  is  a  very  large  island,  and  is  so 
cold  that  it  has  no  productions  and  few  in- 
habitants.    It  also  belongs  to  Denmark. 

Newfoundland,  another  large  island  in  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  belongs  to  Great  Britain. 
The  inhabitants  live  chiefly  by  fishing. 


A    GEVSEK. 


But  the  most  remarkable  islands  of  this 
continent  are  the  West  Indies,  an  extensive 
group  lying  between  North  America  and 
South  America.  It  was  on  one  of  these  isl- 
ands that  Columbus  made  his  first  landing 
when  he  discovered  the  "  New  World."  Near- 
ly all  of  them  are  in  the  Torrid  Zone — that 
part  of  the  world  on  which  the  sun  shines  di- 
rectly or  almost  directly  every  day,  and  where 
it  is  always  very  warm.  On  these  beautiful,  fer- 
tile islands  the  inhabitants  raise  great  quanti- 
ties of  sugar,  coffee,  cotton,  and  tobacco,  and 
many  spices  and  medicinal  plants.  Here, 
too,  grow  the  delicious  fruits  which  we  all 
relish  so  much — oranges,  bananas,  and  pine- 
apples. 


30 


NORTH   AMERICA :    RIVERS,   SOIL,  AND   PRODUCTIONS. 


Cuba,  the  largest  and  most  productive  of 
this  group,  belongs  to  Spain.  Hayti,  the  next 
largest,  is  independent.  Jamaica,  the  third  in 
size,  belongs  to  Great  Britain.  Porto  Rico, 
the  fourth  in  size,  belongs  to  Spain.  The  rest 
belong  to  different  nations  in  Europe.  Ha- 
vana, the  capital  of  Cuba,  is  the  largest  city 
and  the  chief  commercial  port  of  the  West 
Indies.  Its  harbor  is  one  of  the  largest  and 
safest  in  the  world. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Which  are  the  Great  Lakes  ? 

Lake  Superior,  Lake  Huron,  Lake  Michi- 
gan, Lake  Erie,  and  Lake  Ontario. 
Which  is  the  largest  ? 
Lake  Superior. 

What  wonderful  falls  are  between  Lake  Erie  and  Lake 
Ontario  ? 

The  Falls  of  Niagara. 
How  high  are  they  ? 
They  are  164  feet  high. 

What  islands  of  North  America  belong  to  Denmark  ? 
Iceland  and  Greenland. 
What  is  said  of  the  climate  of  Iceland  ? 
The  climate  is  softened  by  the  Gulf  Stream, 
and  grass  and  several  kinds  of  vegetaoles  grow. 

What  kind  of  a  climate  has  Greenland  ? 

It  is  SO  cold  that  it  has  no  productions  and 
few  inhabitants. 

What  other  large  island  belongs  to  North  America  ? 


Newfoundland. 


^? 


What  is  the  chief  occupation  of  its  inhabitants 

Fishing. 

Which  are  the  most  important  islands  of  North  America  ? 
The  West  Indies. 

In  what  zone  are  most  of  the  West  Indies  ? 
The  Torrid  Zone. 

What  are  the  chief  productions  of  these  islands  ? 

Sugar,  coffee,  cotton,  tobacco,  and  fruits. 

Name  some  of  the  principal  fruits. 

Oranges,  bananas,  and  pine-apples. 
Name  the  four  largest  of  this  group  of  islands. 
Cuba.  Hayti,  Jamaica,  and  Porto  Rico. 


LESSON   XX. 

EIYEHS,  SOIL,  AND  PEODUCTIONS. 
[To  be  Read.] 

Rivers. — There  are  no  rivers  in  the  world 
that  are  of  greater  service  to  mankind  than 
those  of  North  America.  They  are  very  nu- 
merous, and  many  of  them  are  navigable  — 
that  is,  are  so  deep  that  ships  can  sail  on 
them.  Rising  among  the  mountains,  they 
flow  in  every  direction.  There  is  not  a  large 
inlet,  or  bay,  that  has  not  one  or  more  rivers 
running  into  it.  In  the  north,  two  or  three 
great  rivers  flow  into  the  Arctic  Ocean  and 
Hudson  Bay.  But  they  are  not  useful,  be- 
cause they  are  almost  always  blocked  up  by 
ice,  and  much  of  the  region  they  flow  through 
is  unproductive  because  of  the  cold. 

But  in  the  east  the  rivers  are  very  im- 
portant, and  have  large  cities  on  their  banks 
that  carry  on  an  extensive  commerce.  There 
are  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  Hudson,  the  Dela- 
ware, the  Potomac,  and  the  Savannah.  In 
the  south,  flowing  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  is 
that  broad  and  noble  river,  the  Mississippi, 
one  of  the  most  useful  in  all  the  world. 
Draining  a  large  part  of  the  continent,  and 
navigable  for  thousands  of  miles,  with  large 
branches  that  are  also  navigable  for  long  dis- 
tances, it  forms  a  highway  for  the  products 
of  millions  of  people.  Some  of  the  largest, 
wealthiest,  and  most  prosperous  cities  in  the 
country  are  on  its  banks. 

In  the  west  there  are  fewer  rivers,  and 
only  one  of  great  importance — the  Columbia. 

There  are  many  smaller  rivers,  chiefly  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  continent,  that  are 
very  valuable,  because  their  currents  have 
such  a  steep  descent  that,  when  dammed  up, 
they  furnish  water-power  to  turn  the  wheels 
of  many  factories. 

But    it    is   of  very   little   use  to    a   country 


NORTH   AMERICA  :    ANIMALS   AND   INHABITANTS. 


31 


to  have  mines  and  navigable  rivers,  and  a 
pleasant,  fruitful  climate,  if  it  have  not  also 
a  fertile  soil,  so  that  the  people  can  produce 
the  necessaries  of  life. 

Soil.  —  A  large  part  of  the  soil  of  North 
America  is  fertile.  The  northern  portion  is 
unfruitful  because  of  the  cold ;  and  much  of 
the  land  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  con- 
sists of  barren  heights  and  sandy  plains.  But 
the  strip  of  territory  between  the  Appalachi- 
an Mountains  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  about 
100  miles  wide,  is  very  fertile ;  while  the  vast 
Central  Plain,  lying  between  the  Appalachian 
and  the  Rocky  Mountains,  sometimes  called 
the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi,  is  remarkable 
for  its  fertility.  The  valleys  of  the  extreme 
western  part  of  the  continent  are  very  pro- 
ductive ;  there  is  abundant  vegetation  also  in 
Mexico  and  Central  America. 

Productions.  —  In  the  portions  of  the  con- 
tinent that  lie  in  the  Temperate  Zone  large 
crops  of  wheat,  maize,  oats,  rye,  and  hay  are 
gathered  from  year  to  year.  All  the  well- 
known  vegetables,  also,  are  produced  in  abun- 
dance. In  the  southern  portion  the  inhabi- 
tants cultivate  maize,  sugar-cane,  and  sweet- 
potatoes.  They  also  raise  great  crops  of  cot- 
ton and  tobacco. 

Of  fruits,  few  kinds  can  be  named  that  do 
not  grow  to  perfection  somewhere  on  this 
great  continent :  apples,  pears,  plums,  grapes, 
peaches,  and  cherries  in  the  north ;  oranges, 
bananas,  figs,  and  pine-apples  in  the  south. 
Nature  has  done  everything  here  to  make 
men  prosperous  and  happy — if  only  they  will 
be  true  to  their  advantages  and  to  them- 
selves ! 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Are  there  many  rivers  in  North  America  ? 
There  are ;    and  some  of  them  are  among 
the  largest  and  most  useful  in  the  world. 

What  is  the  soil  of  North  America  ? 

A  large  part  of  it  is  very  fertile. 


Which  is  the  most  fertile  portion  ? 

The  Great  Central  Plain. 

What  is  the  Great  Central  Plain? 

It  is  the  vast  tract  of  land  lying  between 
the  Appalachian  Mountains  and  the  Rocky 
Mountains. 

What  other  name  has  it  ? 

The  Valley  of  the  Mississippi. 

What  are  the  staple  productions  of  North  America  ? 

In  the  Temperate  Zone,  wheat,  maize,  oats, 
rye,  vegetables,  hay,  cotton,  and  tobacco ;  in 
the  Torrid  Zone,  maize,  coffee,  sugar-cane, 
and  sweet-potatoes. 

What  fruits  are  raised  in  North  America  ? 

Almost  all  the  fruits  known  to  the  world. 


LESSON    XXI. 

ANIMALS  AND  INHABITANTS. 
[To  be  Read.] 

Animals. —We  have  learned  that  because 
North  America  extends  from  the  icy  regions 
of  the  North  to  the  hot  regions  near  the 
Equator,  it  produces  all  the  kinds  of  vegeta- 
tion that  are  found  in  the  different  climates. 
For  the  same  reason  it  has  a  great  variety 
of  native  animals. 

Here  are  pictures  of  some  of  its  wild  beasts 


32 


NORTH   AMERICA:    ANIMALS   AND   INHABITANTS. 


and  birds,  and   below   is   a  short   description 
of  them. 


First  we  have  the  seal,  the  polar  bear,  and 
the  walrus,  which  live  in  and  near  the  Arctic 
Ocean,  and  supply  the  inhabitants  of  those 
icy  regions  with  food  and  clothing.  Then 
we  have  beasts  and  birds  that  can  not  endure 
such  severe  cold,  and  for  this  reason  live  near 
the  borders  of  the  Temperate  Zone.  Such 
are  the  bald  eagle,  the  big-horn,  the  grizzly 
bear,  and  the  moose ;  such,  too,  are  the  bea- 
ver and  the  otter,  whose  fur  is  sought  after 
for  use  in  wearing-apparel.  Then  we  have  the 
wild  turkey,  which  is  found  in  large  numbers 
in  the  forests  of  the  Temperate  Zone  ;    the 


deer  and  antelope,  which  are  also  very  nu- 
merous on  the  plains  and  the  mountains ;  and 


the  huge  bison,  or  buffalo,  which  lives  in  great 
herds  on  the  western  plains,  and  supplies  the 
Indian  tribes  living  in  that  region  with  their 
chief  article  of  food. 

The  peccary,  a  small  animal,  much  like  a 
hog  in  appearance,  lives  in  the  wildernesses 
of  Mexico  and  Central  America ;  and  the  ugly- 
looking  alligator  is  found  in  the  rivers  of  the 
southern  part  of  the  continent.  The  opos- 
sum, the  lynx,  and  the  panther  are  also  found 
in  different  localities. 


Inhabitants. — There  is  also  a  great  variety 
of  inhabitants  in  North  America.  In  addition 
to  the  native  inhabitants — that  is,  the  peo- 
ple who  lived  there  before  it  was  discovered 
by  Columbus — there  are  people  from  almost 
every  other  part  of  the  world. 

Among  the  icebergs  of  the  north  are  the 
Esquimaux  [Es-ke-mo],  who  are  clad  from 
head  to  foot,  both  men  and  women,  in  the 
fur  of  the  seal.  They  travel  in  sledges  made 
of  the  bones  of  whales,  and  drawn  by  dogs. 
Their  houses  are  built  of  snow,  and  their  food 
is  the  fat  of  the  walrus,  whale,  and  seal. 

Farther  to  the  south,  on  the  western  plains, 
and  among  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  savage 
Indians  live  and  roam  about.  They  are 
proud,  selfish,  and  cruel.  They  spend  their 
time  in  hunting  the  buffalo  on  the  plains, 
going  on  the  war-path  against  some  other 
tribe  or  against  the  white  settlers,  or  in  the 
warm,  sunny  weather  lazily  sauntering  around 


NORTH   AMERICA  :    ANIMALS   AND   INHABITANTS. 


3'J 


their  Avigwams,  while  the  women  perform  the 
labors  of  the  family,  grinding  the  corn  and 
cooking  the  food. 

What  a  contrast  to  this  savage  creature  is 
the  civilized  white  man,  who,  in  the  same 
zone,  is  engaged  in  tilling  the  soil,  carrying 
on  commerce,  or  working  with  the  tools  of 
the  mechanic,  and  thus  providing  for  himself 
a  comfortable  home  ! 


ESQUIMAUX. 


In  the  extreme  west  are  many  thousands 
of  Chinese  laborers  from  Asia ;  and  in  the 
cotton,  sugar,  and  rice  fields  of  the  south,  in 
the  West  India  Islands,  and  also  scattered 
about  almost  everywhere  among  the  white 
population,  are  negroes,  whose  forefathers 
were  brought  from  Africa. 

In  Mexico  and  Central  America  are  Creoles, 
who  are  the  descendants  of  the  Spanish  con- 
querors of  the  country.  They  are  better  ed- 
ucated than  the  rest  of  the  population,  and 
are  very  proud  and  haughty.  Then  come 
the  mestizos  [mes-te'-zos],  or  mixed  race — the 
descendants  of  the  Spaniards  and  the  native 
Indians.  These  are  the  soldiers,  merchants, 
and  mechanics,  and  form  the  middle  class. 
The  Indians,  who  form  a  third  class,  live  in 
villages  and  till  the  ground,  but  are  for  the 
most  part  ignorant  and  degraded. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  some  of  the  native  animals  of  North  America. 
The  seal,  the  walrus,  the  white  bear,  the 


grizzly  bear,  the  moose,  the  beaver,  the  deer, 
the  antelope,  the  buffalo,  and  the  alligator. 

What  varieties  of  inhabitants  do  we  find  in  North 
America? 

Near  the  Arctic  Ocean  we  find  the  Esqui- 
maux ;  in  the  temperate  regions  the  civilized 
white  man,  the  Indian,  Chinese,  and  negroes ; 
farther  south,  negroes,  Creoles,  mestizos,  and 
Indians. 


LESSON    XXII. 
QUESTIONS  rOE  EEVIEW. 
[To  be  Recited.] 

How  many  hemispheres  are  there  ?  What  are  their 
names  ?  What  is  the  Western  Hemisphere  sometimes 
called  r  Why?  What  is  the  Eastern  Hemisphere  sometimes 
called?  Why?  When  and  by  whom  was  the  New  World 
discovered  ?  How  many  continents  are  there  ?  Which  con- 
tinenis  are  in  the  Western  Hemisphere?  Which  continents 
are  in  the  Eastern  Hemisphere  ?  Which  continents  are  north 
of  the  eqnator  ?  Which  are  crossed  by  the  equator  ?  Which 
is  the  largest  continent  ?     Which  is  the  smallest  ?    , 

What  is  the  Gulf  Stream  ?  Why  is  it  so  called  ?  Describe 
its  course.  What  effect  does  it  have  upon  the  climate  of  Ice- 
land ?  What  effect  does  it  have  upon  the  climate  of  Europe  ? 
Describe  the  warm  current  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  How  does 
this  current  affect  the  climate  of  North  America  ?  Which  has 
been  the  most  important  ocean  ?  Why  has  it  been  the  most 
important  ? 

Which  continent  occupies  the  northern  part  of  the  West- 
ern Hemisphere  ?  What  continent  is  southeast  of  it  ?  What 
isthmus  connects  them  ?  What  continent  is  northwest  of 
North  America?  What  strait  separates  them?  What  moun- 
tain system  is  in  the  eastern  part  of  North  America  ?  What 
one  is  in  the  western  part  ?  What  is  a  mountain  system  ? 
Niame  the  countries  of  North  America  ? 
y^  Why  has  North  America  a  great  variety  of  climate  and 
productions  ?  How  long  and  how  wide  is  it  ?  What  are 
its  boundaries  ?  Why  are  the  Appalachian  Mountains  val- 
uable ?  Why  are  the  Rocky  Mountains  valuable  ?  In  what 
part  of  the  continent  are  volcanoes  ?  What  is  a  volcano  ? 
Name  the  "Great  Lakes"  of  North  America.  Where  are 
they  ?     Name  the  most  important  islands  of  North  America. 

Which  is  the  largest  river  in  North  America?  Name  five 
important  rivers  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  continent.  Why 
are  they  important  ?  Of  what  use  are  many  of  the  smaller 
rivers?  Are  the  rivers  in  the  northern  part  of  the  continent 
useful  ?  ■  Why  ? 

What  is  said  of  the  soil  of  North  America?  What  are 
the  principal. productions  ?  Name  some  of  the  native  ani- 
mals. Name  some  of  the  different  varieties  of  inhabitants 
that  we  find  in  North  America. 


8 


Questions  on  the  Map  of  the  United  States.— 
What  country  is  north  of  the  United  States  ? 
"What  country  and  what  gulf  are  south  ?  What 
orean  is  east  ?     What  ocean  is  west  ? 

Which  of  the  Great  Lakes  are  between   the 


United  States  and  the  Dominion  of  Canada? 
Which  one  is  wholly  in  the  United  States  ?  What 
river  is  the  outlet  of  these  lakes  ?  Into  what  gulf 
does  it  flow  ? 

What  mountain  system  is  in  the  easfern  part 


of  the  United  States  m 
near  the  coast  of  th(  a 
mountain  system  is'  : 
What  name  is  g  is 
States  between  the 


;M|tir 


■jntain  ranges  are 
in?  What  great 
r;iel  ranges.' 
,ic^  art  of  the  United 
^tiii     Mountains  and 


the  Rocky  Mountains  ?  ( The  Great  Ce?itral Plain. ) 
What  river  drains  it  ?  Into  what  gulf  does  it  flow  ? 
What  is  the  largest  eastern  branch  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi ?  What  are  the  three  largest  western 
branches  ?    What  large  river  is  in  the  northwest- 


ern part  of  the  United  States  ?  Into  what  does  it 
flow  ?  Where  is  the  Gulf  of  California  ?  What 
river  flows  into  it?  What  peninsula  is  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  United  States  ?  Between 
what  two  bodies  of  water  is  it  ? 


36 


NORTH   AMERICA  :    THE   UNITED   STATES.— HISTORY,  GROWTH,  AND   PRODUCTIONS. 


LESSON  XXIII. 

THE  UNITED   STATES -HISTOEY, 
GROWTH,  AND  PRODUCTIONS. 

[To  be  Eead.] 

We  have  learned  about  North  America,  the 
continent  in  which  our  own  country  is  situ- 
ated, and  now  we  will  learn  about  our  coun- 
try itself— the  "  United  States."  We  will  first 
learn  how  it  came  to  be  called  the  United 
States. 


PRAIRIE   ON    FIRE — FLIGHT    OF  WILD   ANIMALS. 


Columbus  discovered  America  in  1492,  as 
you  have  already  learned.  In  fitting  out  his 
vessels  for  the  voyage,  he  was  aided  by  the 
Queen  of  Spain,  and  in  her  name  he  took 
possession  of  the  countries  he  discovered. 
Then  the  Spaniards  came  and  made  them- 
selves masters  of  the  West  Indies,  Mexico, 
Florida,  and  a  great  part  of  South  America. 

The  English,  the  Dutch,  and  other  nations 
of  Europe,  also  made  settlements,  one  after 
the  other,  along  the  Atlantic  coast  from  Flor- 
ida as  far  north  as  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence. 
In  the  course  of  time  all  these  settlements 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English. 


These  settlements  were  called  colonies  at 
that  time  ;  for  a  colony  is  a  body  of  persons 
who  have  settled  in  a  new  country,  but  are 
still  under  the  rule  of  their  mother  country 
— that  is,  the  country  from  which  they  came. 
These  colonies  grew  more  and  more  prosper- 
ous, until,  about  a  hundred  years  ago,  thir- 
teen of  them  united  in  a  war  against  their 
mother  country,  England,  because  they  were 
unjustly  taxed  and  otherwise  oppressed. 
Hardly  had  the  war  begun,  when  the  colonies 
took  a  yet  bolder  step.  They  resolved  to  be 
governed  no  longer  by  England,  and  declared 
themselves  "  free  and  indepen- 
dent states."  They  also  united 
in  a  government  for  the  whole, 
in  order  that  they  might  assist 
each  other ;  and  the  country 
whose  government  they  thus 
formed  they  called  the  United 
States.  After  nearly  eight 
years  of  fighting,  England  gave 
up  the  contest,  and  acknowl- 
edged the  independence  of  the 
colonies.  This  change  of  gov- 
ernment is  called  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  the  war  for  indepen- 
dence is  called  the  Revolution- 
ary War. 

These  are  the  names  of  the 
thirteen  colonies :  New  Hampshire,  Massa- 
chusetts, Rhode  Island,  Connecticut  [Con-net- 
i-cut].  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania, 
Delaware,  Maryland,  Virginia,  North  Carolina, 
South  Carolina,  and  Georgia. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  the  war,  the  people 
of  the  United  States,  wishing  to  form  a  "more 
perfect  union,"  in  order  that  they  might  be- 
come a  strong  nation,  made  a  new  form  of 
government,  and  adopted  the  Constitution 
under  which  we  now  live.  This  Constitution 
is  the  supreme — that  is,  the  highest — law  of 
the  land. 

The  thirteen  states  that  formed  the  Union 


NORTH   AMERICA:    THE   UNITED   STATES.— HISTORY,  GROWTH,  AND    PRODUCTIONS. 


37 


all  lie  between  the  Appalachian  Mountains 
and  the  ocean.  On  the  other  side  of  the 
mountains,  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution, 
there  were  a  few  trading-posts  only.  The  In- 
dian, and  the  buffalo,  the  wolf,  and  other  wild 
animals,  had  the  old  forests  and  the  broad 
prairies  all  to  themselves..  By  and  by  many 
of  the  more  enterprising  of  the  people  sought 
new  homes  beyond  the  mountains.  Crowding 
their  household  goods  and  families  into  huge 
covered  wagons  drawn  by  oxen,  and  going  in 
long  trains  so  as  to  protect  each  other  from 
the  Indians,  they  travelled  slowly  onward  by 
day,  and  camped  by  some  spring  of  water  by 
night,  until  they  came  to  a  spot  which  they 
thought  suitable  for  a  settlement.  There 
they  made  log  huts  for  dwellings  ;  they  cut 
down  forests,  and  planted  fields,  and  from 
these  humble  beginnings  built  up  the  flour- 
ishing villages,  the  large  cities,  and  the  im- 
mense business  of  the  Great  Central  Plain. 


WESTERN    PIONEERS. 


■' 


This  new  nation  grew  very  rapidly.  Thou- 
sands of  the  poor  and  the  oppressed  of  Eu- 
rope sought  homes  in  the  New  World.  Man- 
ufactories were  built,  and  thriving  villages 
grew  up  on  many  a  stream.  Commerce,  too, 
increased  ;  cities  multiplied  on  the  coast,  and 
their  ships  visited  the  ports  of  all  the  world. 

At  length  our  country,  already  extending 
9 


from  ocean  to  ocean,  was  enlarged  by  the  ad- 
dition of  California.  Gold  was  found  in  great 
quantities  in  the  mountains  of  that  state,  and 
crowds  of  people  flocked  to  them  to  search 
for  this  precious  metal ;  towns  grew  up  as  if 
by  magic  ;  the  port  of  San  Francisco,  hav- 
ing one  of  the  largest  and  safest  harbors  in 
the  world,  was  opened  to  commerce  ;  and  the 
United  States  became  more  prosperous  than 
ever  before. 

How  different  the  condition  of  our  country 
now  from  what  it  was  at  the  time  of  the 
Revolution,  when  the  union  of  the  colonies 
was  formed,  and  the  nation  took  the  name  of 
the  United  States  !  Then  there  were  only 
thirteen  states,  with  hardly  three  millions  of 
people;  now  there  are  thirty -eight  states, 
with  more  than  forty  millions  of  people. 
There  are  thirty  cities  that  have  more  than 
fifty  thousand  inhabitants  each.  Boston,  that 
had  only  about  twenty-five  thousand  at  the 
close  of  the  Revolution,  now  has  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  ;  and  New  York  has 
grown  to  be  a  magnificent  city,  with  more 
than  a  million  inhabitants.  It  is  the  metrop- 
olis— that  is,  the  largest  city — of  the  country. 
Then  there  were  no  canals,  no  railroads,  no 
steamships,  and  few  manufactories.  Now  ca- 
nals, some  of  them  hundreds  of  miles  long, 
carry  the  productions  of  one  part  of  the  coun- 
try to  another;  steamboats  ply  on  every  nav- 
igable stream,  and  steamships  run  from  the 
Atlantic  ports  to  Europe,  and  from  San  Fran- 
cisco to  Asia  and  Australia.  Railroads  ex- 
tend in  every  direction.  Where  a  few  per- 
sons travelled  in  the  old-fashioned  stage- 
coaches, thousands  now  travel  in  comforta- 
ble rail-cars ;  and  instead  of  spending  a  week 
in  going  from  New  York  to  Washington,  one 
can  go  easily  in  seven  hours.  Indeed,  there 
is  a  railroad  across  the  whole  country  from 
ocean  to  ocean,  and  we  can  go  from  New 
York  to  San  Francisco,  three  thousand  miles, 
in  a  single  week  ! 


38 


NORTH   AMERICA  :    NORTH   ATLANTIC    STATES.— QUESTIONS   ON   THE   MAP. 


There  are  manufactories  almost  everywhere. 
And  not  only  do  the  people  produce  and  man- 
ufacture enough  for  themselves,  but  they  send 
vast  quantities  of  productions  to  other  coun- 
tries, the  chief  of  which  are  cotton,  bread- 
stuffs,  provisions,  petroleum,  gold,  silver,  and 
tobacco ;  and  they  obtain  in  exchange,  be- 
sides other  things,  dry  goods,  fruits,  and  met- 
als from  Europe,  sugar  from  the  West  Indies, 
coffee  and  hides  from  South  America,  and  tea, 
coffee,  and  spices  from  Asia. 

Such  was  our  country  when  it  became  free ; 
such  is  our  country  now. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  a  colony? 

A  colony  is  a  body  of  persons  who  have 

settled  in  a  new  country,  but  are  still  under 

the  rule  of  their  mother  country. 

Why  did  the  colonies  in  America  unite  in  a  war  against 
England  ? 

Because  they  were  unjustly  taxed,  and  oth- 
erwise oppressed. 


LESSON   XXIV. 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE   MAP  OF  THE 

NOETH  ATLANTIC  STATES,  OE 

NEW  ENGLAND. 

[To  be  Recited.] 

Which  are  the  North  Atlantic  States  ?  (Maine,  New 
Hampshire,  Vermont,  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  and  Con- 
nectiatt.)  What  province  is  north  of  this  group  of  states  ? 
What  province  is  east  ?  What  ocean  is  east  and  south  ? 
What  state  is  west  ?  Which  is  the  largest  of  this  group  of 
states  ?  Which  is  the  smallest  ?  Which  border  on  the  At- 
lantic Ocean  ?     Which  one  has  no  sea-coast  ? 

W^iat  part  of  this  group  of  states  is  mountainous  ?  What 
range  of  mountains  is  in  the  western  part  ?  What  mountains 
are  in  New  Hampshire  ?  What  mountain  is  in  the  northern 
part  of  Maine  ?/ What  island  is  on  the  coast  ofMaineif  What 
^two  islands  are  on  the  coast  of  Massachusetts  ?i  What  island 
is  south  of  Connecticut  ?  Of  what  state  is  it  a  part  ?  (N'e^v 
York.)     Name  two  capes  on  the  coast  of  Massachusetts. 


Name  the  thirteen  colonies  that  fought  to  be  free  froi 
England. 

New  Hampshire,  Massachusetts,  Rhod 
Island,  Connecticut,  New  York,  New  Jersej; 
Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  Maryland,  Virginia 
North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  and  Georgia 

What  declaration  did  the  colonies  make  ? 

They  declared  themselves  "  free  and  inde 
pendent." 

What  is  our  war  for  independence  called  ? 

The  Revolutionary  War. 

How  long  did  it  last  ? 

Nearly  eight  years. 

What  was  the  result  of  the  war  ? 

England  acknowledged  the  independenc! 
of  the  colonies. 

What  are  the  chief  exports  of  the  United  States — that  i 
the  chief  productions  sent  to  other  countries  ? 

The  chief  exports  are  cotton,  breadstuff; 
provisions,  petroleum,  gold,  silver,  and  tobaccc 

What  are  our  chief  imports  —  that  is,  the  chief  article 
brought  from  other  countries  to  our  own  ? 

Our  chief  imports  are  dry  goods,  sugai 
hides,  coffee,  tea,  fruits,  metals,  and  spices. 


What  lake  is  on  the  western  border  of  Vermont  ?  Wh; 
lake  is  near  the  centre  of  New  Hampshire  ?  What  lake 
in  the  northern  part  of  Maine  ?  Name  three  bays  on  tl 
coast  of  Maine.  What  three  are  on  the  coast  of  Massachi 
setts  ?  What  one  is  on  the  coast  of  Rhode  Island  ?  Wh 
two  rivers  are  between  Maine  and  the  province  of  New  Brun 
wick  ?  Name  three  rivers  in  Maine.  What  river  is  in  tl 
southern  part  of  New  Hampshire  ?  What  river  is  betwef 
New  Hampshire  and  Vermont  ?  What  states  does  it  crosj 
Into  what  does  it  flow  ? 

What  is  the  capital  of  Maine  ?  What  city  in  Maine 
on  Penobscot  River?  What  one  is  on  Casco  Bay?  Wh 
is  the  capital  of  New  Hampshire  ?  What  city  is  southea 
of  Concord  ?  On  what  river  is  it  ?  What  is  the  capit 
of  Vermont  ?  What  city  in  Vermont  is  on  Lake  Char 
plain  ? 

What  is  the  capital  of  Massachusetts  ?  On  what  bay 
it  ?  Name  two  cities  in  Massachusetts  on  Merrimac  Rivf 
What  city  is  northwest  of  Boston  ?  What  two  are  nort 
east?  What  one  is  south?  What  city  is  near  the  centre 
the  state  ?  How  many  capitals  has  Rhode  Island  ?  Wh 
are  they  ?  What  is  the  capital  of  Connecticut  ?  Name  tv 
cities  in  the  southern  part  of  Connecticut.  What  city  is 
the  eastern  part  ? 


4:0 


NORTH   AMERICA:    NORTH   ATLANTIC    STATES.— HISTORY,  SURFACE,  ETC. 


LESSON  XXV. 

KOETH  ATLANTIC  STATES.-HISTOEY, 
SUEFAOE,  CLIMATE,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

We  have  read  and  studied  about  the  states 
in  our  Union,  taking  them  together  as  a  na- 
tion. But  each  of  these  states  is 
important  of  itself.  Besides 
forming  a  part  of  the  whole 
nation,  under  the  general 
government,  each  has  a 
government  of  its  own.  a 
It  has  a  Governor, 
who  is  the  chief  of- 
ficer, and  is  chosen 
by  the  people  ;  it 
has  a  Legislature, 
too,  which  is  chos- 
en by  the  people, 
and  makes  laws  for 
them.  But  no  state 
can  have  a  law  that 
conflicts  with  the 
laws  of  the  United 
States. 

In  addition  to 
the  thirty -eight 
states  in  the  Un- 
ion, there  are  ten 
territories.  What 
a  territory  is  will 
be  explained  in  an- 
other part  of  this 
book. 

These  states  and  territories  will  be  divided 
for  convenience  into  ten  groups. 

The  first  group,  which  we  are  now  to  study, 
consists  of  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont, 
Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  and  Connecticut. 
These  states,  taken  together,  are  called  the 
•'  North  Atlantic  States,"  because  they  are  in 


SCENE  IN   THE  WHITE   MOUNTAINS. 


the  northern  part  of  the  country  and  on  or 
near  the  coast  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  They 
are  also  called  "  New  England."  An  English, 
sea-captain,  John  Smith,  who  explored  a  part 
of  the  region,  gave  it  this  name  in  honor  of 
England,  his  native  country. 

The  first  permanent  settlement  in  New  Eng- 
land was  made  by  a  company  of  Englishmen 
in  1620,  on  the  coast  of  Massachusetts,  at  a 
place  which  they  named  Plymouth. 
They  came  across  the  ocean  in 
a  little  vessel  called  the  May- 
flower ;  and  because  they 
had  been  compelled  to 
leave  their  native  land, 
and  had  been  wan- 
dering in  search 
of  peaceful  homes, 
they  have  received 
the  name  of  the 
Pilgrim  Fathers. 

Most  of  the  ear- 
ly settlements  in 
New  England  were 
made  by  people 
from  England. 

Surface. — Bro- 
ken chains  of  the 
Appalachian  sys- 
tem of  mountains 
cross  New  Eng- 
land from  northeast  to  southwest,  being  no- 
where very  high  except  in  New  Hampshire, 
where  they  are  called  the  White  Mountains. 
In  Vermont  and  Massachusetts  they  are  call- 
ed the  Green  Mountains.  The  White  Moun- 
tains are  much  admired  for  their  beautiful 
scenery. 

There  is  fertile  soil  in  some  sections,  espe- 
cially in  the  valleys  through  which  the  rivers 
flow.  But  among  the  mountains  the  land  is 
rocky,  and  much  of  it  is  too  uneven  to  be 
tilled  ;  near  the  coast  it  is  sandy  and  barren ; 
so  that,  compared  with  some  other  parts  of 


NORTH   AMERICA:   NORTH   ATLANTIC    STATES.— OCCUPATIONS   OF  THE   PEOPLE. 


41 


the  country,  the  soil  of  New  England  is  poor, 
and  difficult  to  cultivate.  The  farmers  have 
to  work  very  hard  for  what  they  get. 

Climate  and  Productions.  —  The  climate  is 
healthful ;  the  winters  are  long  and  cold,  but 
the  summers  are  warm,  and  ripen  all  the 
plants  that  grow  best  in  the  temperate  zone. 
Indian  corn  and  other  grains,  hay,  vegetables, 
and  fruits,  are  produced  in  abundance. 

Rivers  and  Lakes.  —  The  most  important 
rivers  are  the  Penobscot  and  Kennebec  [Ken- 
ne-bec],  in  Maine  ;  the  Merrimac,  in  New 
Hampshire  and  Massachusetts ;  and  the  Con- 
necticut, which  flows  between  New  Hampshire 
and  Vermont,  and  then  crosses  Massachusetts 
and  Connecticut. 

There  are  also  many  beautiful  lakes.  The 
most  celebrated  are  Lake  Winnipiseogee 
[Win-ni-pi-sok'-e],  in  New  Hampshire ;  and 
Lake  Champlain  [Sham-plain'],  on  the  west- 
ern border  of  Vermont.  The  latter  is  a  hun- 
dred miles  long,  and  is  so  deep  that  vessels 
can  sail  on  it  from  one  end  to  the  other. 


[To  be  Recited.J 

Name  the  North  Atlantic  States. 
Maine,  New   Hampshire,  Vermont,  Massa- 
chusetts, Rhode  Island,  and  Connecticut. 

When  and  where  was  the  first  permanent  settlement  made 
in  New  England,  and  by  whom  ? 

In  1620,  at  Plymouth,  in  Massachusetts,  by 
people  from  England. 

What  mountains  are  there  in  New  England  ? 

There  are  broken  chains  of  the  Appalachi- 
an system,  called  White  Mountains  in  New 
Hampshire,  and  Green  Mountains  in  Vermont 
and  Massachusetts. 

What  is  the  climate  of  New  England  ? 

The  winters  are  long  and  cold,  but  the  sum- 
mers are  warm. 

What  is  said  of  the  soil  ? 

Compared   with    some    other   parts   of  the 


country,  the  soil  of  New  England  is  poor,  and 
difficult  to  cultivate. 

What  are  the  productions  of  New  England? 

Indian  corn  and  other  grains,  hay,  and  the 
vegetables  and  fruits  of  the  temperate  zone. 

Which  are  the  chief  rivers  ? 

The  Penobscot,  the  Kennebec,  the  Merri- 
mac, and  the  Connecticut. 

Which  are  the  most  important  lakes  ? 

Lake  Winnipiseogee,  in  New  Hampshire  ; 
and  Lake  Champlain,  on  the  western  border 
of  Vermont. 


LESSON   XXVL 

NORTH  ATLANTIC  STATES. -OCCUPA- 
TIONS OF  THE  PEOPLE. 

[To  be  Read.] 

There  are  many  farmers  in  New  England. 
The  people  of  the  State  of  Vermont,  which  is 
very  fertile,  live  chiefly  by  farming.  Still  the 
farms  of  this  group  of  states  do  not  produce 
enough  to  feed  all  the  population.  It  could 
hardly  be  expected  that  they  would  ;  for  three 
of  these  states — Massachusetts,  Connecticut, 
and  Rhode  Island — are  more  thickly  settled 
than  any  other  states  of  the  whole  country, 
and  most  of  their  inhabitants  are  busy  about 
something  else  than  farming. 

What  do  you  suppose  it  is  ?  You  will  sure- 
ly be  able  to  tell,  when  the  places  in  which 
they  live  have  been  described  to  you.  For 
men  almost  always  engage  in  that  kind  of 
business  which  the  place  they  live  in  gives 
them  the  best  chance  to  carry  on,  and  which 
therefore  promises  them  good  pay  for  their 
labor. 

There  are  many  streams  in  New  England 
which  come  down  from  the  hills  with  currents 
so  rapid  that  they  afford  water-power  to  turn 
the  machinery  of  mills  and  factories,  and  on 


42 


NORTH  AMERICA  :  NORTH  ATLANTIC  STATES.— OCCUPATIONS  OF  THE  PEOPLE. 


the  banks  of  these  streams  we  find  many 
towns  and  villages.  What  is  the  chief  busi- 
ness of  their  inhabitants  ?  Mamifacturing, 
you  will  say.  All  along  the  courses  of  these 
streams  are  mills  and  factories — mills  to  make 
woollen  cloth,  mills  to  make  cotton  cloth,  to 
make  paper,  furniture,  cars,  locomotives — in- 
deed, to  make  almost  everything  that  is  need- 
ed for  our  use.  Steam-power  is  also  much 
used  in  manufacturing. 

The  largest  manufacturing  places  are  Lew- 
iston  and  Biddeford,  in  Maine ;    Manchester, 


;.  ,  '-^?"~.  *i-;n£; 


i\-',i»3;i  Jr- 


LAUNCHING   OF  A   SHIP. 


Dover,  and  Nashua,  in  New  Hampshire ;  Fall 
River,  Lowell,  Lawrence,  Worcester,  Spring- 
field, and  Taunton,  in  Massachusetts ;  Provi- 
dence and  Woonsocket,  in  Rhode  Island  ;  and 
Hartford,  New  Haven,  Bridgeport,  and  Water- 
bury,  in  Connecticut.  Smaller  manufacturing 
places  are  to  be  found  in  every  direction. 

There  is  a  long  extent  of  sea -coast  with 
many  fine  harbors,  on  which  are  large  and 
busy  cities.  What  do  their  inhabitants  oc- 
cupy themselves  with  ?  Commerce,  you  will 
say.  Yes  ;  their  harbors  are  full  of  vessels 
that  are  engaged  in  carrying  products  from 
port  to  port,  and  thus  employment  is  given 
to  many  thousands  of  people. 


Boston,  the  chief  commercial  port  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, is  the  metropolis  of  New  England. 
It  was  the  scene  of  many  exciting  events  at 
the    time    of  the    Revolution,    and   "  Faneuil 
Hall"  and   the  "Old   South   Church,"  where 
its   citizens   held    their   public    meetings,  are 
famous  buildings.     "  Bunker  Hill,"  where  the 
second  battle  of  the  Revolutionary  War  was 
fought,  is  within  the  present  limits  of  Boston. 
Other  important  commercial  ports  in  New 
England  are  Portland,  in  Maine ;  Portsmouth, 
in  New  Hampshire ;  Providence,  in  Rhode  Isl- 
and ;   and   Hartford,  New  Haven, 
and    New    London,    in    Connecti- 
cut. 

An  abundance  of  wood  is  at 
hand,  and  iron  is  easily  obtained. 
New  ships  are  needed  all  the 
time,  and  there  are  excellent  op- 
portunities on  the  coast  to  build 
and  launch  them.  So  what  other 
pfj  occupation  are  a  great  many  like- 
'  fi;  ly  to  engage  in?  Ship  -  building, 
you  answer.  Yes ;  there  is  a  great 
deal  of  ship-building  in  New  Eng- 
land. It  is  carried  on  chiefly  on 
the  coast  of  Maine  and  of  Massa- 
chusetts. 

The  ocean  abounds  in  fish,  and 
there  are  many  people  who  are  glad  to  get 
them  for  food  ;  so  there  are  many  who  follow 
the  dangerous  occupation  of  the  fisherman. 

Gloucester,  in  Massachusetts,  is  noted  for 
the  number  of  its  vessels  employed  in  the 
fisheries,  and  many  villages  near  the  coast  of 
Maine  are  inhabited  by  the  families  of  fisher- 
men. New  Bedford,  in  Massachusetts,  is  the 
chief  port  engaged  in  the  whale-fishery. 

There  are  vast  forests  in  Maine  and  New 
Hampshire,  and  all  over  the  country  lumber 
is  needed  to  build  houses,  and  for  many  other 
purposes ;  so  there  are  thousands  of  men  who 
are  engaged  in  lumbering,  as  it  is  called.  They 
cut  down  the  great  trees  in  the  forests,  strip 


NORTH   AMERICA  :    NORTH   ATLANTIC    STATES.— OCCUPATIONS   OF  THE   PEOPLE. 


48 


them  of  their  branches,  haul  them  through 
the  snow  to  the  rivers,  on  which  they  are  to 
be  floated  down  to  the  saw-mills,  to  be  cut 
up  into  all  kinds  of  lumber. 

In  Vermont  beautiful  marble,  which  is  a 
kind  of  limestone,  abounds  ;  also  slate,  and 
the  limestone  from  which  the  quick-lime  used 
in  building  is  made.  In  Maine  limestone  is 
found,  in  New  Hampshire  and  Massachusetts 
are  ledges  of  very  handsome  granite,  and  in 


Thus  we  have  learned  that  the  chief  occu- 
pations of  the  people  of  New  England  are 
farming,  manufacturing,  commerce,  fishing, 
lumbering,  ship-building,  quarrying,  and   ice- 


cuttmg. 


LUMBERING. 


Connecticut  are  beds  of  red  sandstone.  So 
there  is  a  great  deal  of  business  done  in  quar- 
rying, or  getting  out  these  kinds  of  stone — 
the  marble,  slate,  granite,  and  sandstone  for 
building,  and  the  limestone  to  be  burned  in 
kilns  to  make  lime. 

There  is  still  another  important  occupation 
in  New  England.  It  is  ice -cutting.  Great 
quantities  of  ice  are  cut  in  winter  on  the 
rivers  and  ponds  of  Maine,  New  Hampshire, 
and  Massachusetts,  and  sent  in  vessels  to 
countries  where  no  ice  forms. 

lO 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  are   the    chief  occupations  of  the   people  of  New 

England  ? 

The  chief  occupations  are  farming,  manu- 
facturing, commerce,  fishing,  lumbering,  ship- 
building, quarrying,  and  ice-cutting. 

Name  some  of  the  largest  manufacturing  places. 

Lewiston  and  Biddeford,  in  Maine  ;  Man- 
chester and  Nashua,  in  New  Hampshire  ;  Fall 
River,  Lowell,  Lawrence,  Worcester,  and 
Springfield,  in  Massachu- 
setts ;  Providence  and 
Woonsocket,  in  Rhode 
Island  ;  and  Hartford, 
New  Haven,  and  Bridge- 
port, in  Connecticut. 

Which  are  the  chief  commer- 
cial ports  ? 

Boston,  in  Massachu- 
setts; Portland, in  Maine; 
Portsmouth,  in  New 
Hampshire;  Providence, 
in  Rhode  Island  ;  and 
Hartford  and  New  Ha- 
ven, in  Connecticut. 

Where  is  most  of  the  ship-building  carried  on  t 

On  the  coast  of  Maine  and  of  Massachusetts. 

What  cities  in  Massachusetts  are  noted  for  their  fisheries.? 
Gloucester  and  New  Bedford. 

Where  is  most  of  the  lumbering  carried  on  ? 
In  Maine  and  New  Hampshire. 

What  quarries  are  there  in  New  England  ? 

Quarries  of  marble,  slate,  and  limestone,  in 
Vermont ;  of  granite,  in  Massachusetts  and 
New  Hampshire ;  of  limestone,  in  Maine  ;  and 
of  red  sandstone,  in  Connecticut. 


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MAP    OF    THE 
MIDDLE 

ATLANTIC    STATES. 


Scale  of  Miles. 

50  75 


Longitude   West    2    from'Waehlnt.-tnn 


^         — ^  Slong  ^ 

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Copyright,  187MOy  Harjer  <(•   Brothers. 


NORTH  AMERICA  :    MIDDLE   ATLANTIC    STATES.— HISTORY,   SURFACE,  ETC. 


45 


LESSON    XXVII. 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  MAP  OF  THE  MID- 
DLE ATLANTIC  STATES. 

[To  be  Recited.] 

Which  are  the  Middle  Atlantic  States  ?  {New  York,  New 
Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Delaivare,  and  Maryland.)  What  coun- 
try is  north  of  this  group  ?  What  three  states  are  east  ? 
What  ocean  is  east?  What  two  states  are  south?  What 
three  are  west  ?  Which  is  the  smallest  of  -this  group  of 
states?  Which  border  on  the  Atlantic  Ocean  ?  Which  one 
has  no  sea-coast  ? 

Name  two  ranges  of  mountains  in  Pennsylvania.  Which 
range  crosses  the  western  part  of  Maryland  and  the  northern 
part  of  New  Jersey  ?  What  mountains  are  in  the  eastern 
part  of  New  York  ?  What  two  islands  are  east  of  New  Jer- 
sey ?     Of  what  state  are  they  a  part  ? 

What  two  lakes  are  between  New  York  and  the  Dominion 
of  Canada  ?  What  lake  is  between  New  York  and  Vermont  ? 
What  lake  is  south  of  Lake  Champlain  ? 

What  large  river  is  in  the  eastern  part  of  New  York  ? 
Into  what  bay  does  it  flow  ?    What  river  flows  into  the  Hud- 


son from  the  west  ?  What  two  rivers  flow  into  Lake  Ontario  ? 
What  two  are  between  New  York  and  the  Dominion  of  Can- 
ada ?  What  celebrated  falls  are  in  Niagara  Rivei\jW^Vhat 
river  separates  New  York  and  New  Jersey  from  Penn^lva- 
nia  and  Delaware  ?  Into  what  bay  does  it  flow  ?  What  river 
flows  into  the  Delaware  from  the  west?  Wliat  large  river 
crosses  Pennsylvania  from  north  to  south  ?  What  river  is 
in  the  western  part  of  the  state  ?  What  two  rivers  unite  to 
form  it  ?    What  river  is  between  Maryland  and  Virginia  ? 

What  is  the  capital  of  New  York  ?  What  city  in  New 
York  is  at  the  mouth  of  Hudson  River?  What  city  is  on 
Long  Island  ?  What  city  is  near  the  junction  of  Hudson 
and  Mohawk  Rivers?  What  city  is  on  Lake  Erie?  What 
city  is  on  Genesee  River?  What: two  are  nearly  east  of 
Rochester?  What  is' the  capital  of  New  Jersey  ?  Name  three 
cities  in  the  northeastern  part  of  New  Jersey. 

What  is  the  capital  of  Pennsylvania?  What  city  in  Penn- 
sylvania is  at  the  junction  of  Delaware  and  Schuylkill  Rivers? 
What  city  is  on  Schuylkill  River  ?  What  city  is  in  the  north- 
eastern part  of  the  state  ?  What  two  cities  are  at  the  junc- 
tion of  Alleghany  and  Monongahela  Rivers  ?  What  is  the 
capital  of  Delaware  ?  What  city  is  in  the  northern  part  of 
Delaware  ?  What  is  the  capital  of  Maryland  ?  What  city 
is  north  of  Annapolis  ? 

What  district  is  on  Potomac  River  ?  What  city  does  it 
contain?  What  is  Washington?  {The  capital  of  the  United 
States.) 


V 


LESSON   XXVIII. 

MIDDLE  ATLANTIC  STATES -HISTORY, 

SUEFACE,  ETC. 
[To  be  Read.] 

Now  we  come  to  another  group  of  states. 
They  are  called  the  "  Middle  Atlantic  States," 
because  they  are  on  or  near  the  coast  of  the 
Atlantic  Ocean,  and  because  they  lie  between 
the  North  Atlantic  States,  or  New  England, 
and  the  South  Atlantic  States.  Their  names 
are  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Del- 
aware, and  Maryland. 

This  is  a  very  important  group,  for  it  in- 
cludes New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  the  two 
most  populous  states  in  the  Union. 

New  York  was  settled  by  the  Dutch.      It 
happened  in  this  way  :   In  1609,  eleven  years 
before  the  Pilgrims  landed  at   Plymouth  and 
1 1 


began  the  first  settlement  in  New  England, 
Henry  Hudson,  the  captain  of  a  Dutch  ves- 
sel, hoping  to  find  a  passage  to  India,  just 
as  Columbus  had  hoped  when  he  first  came 
across  the  ocean,  sailed  through  what  is  now 
New  York  Bay,  and  discovered  the  noble  riv- 
er that  bears  his  name.  Then  he  returned 
to  Holland,  and  told  the  people  about  the 
beautiful  country  he  had  seen.  The  next  year 
Dutch  merchants  sent  ships  to  trade  with  the 
natives,  and  some  years  later  two  permanent 
settlements  were  made — one  at  Albany,  and 
the  other  on  Manhattan  Island.  The  latter, 
called  New  Amsterdam  by  the  Dutch,  was 
the  beginning  of  what  is  now  New  York  City, 
the  metropolis  of  the  country. 

Pennsylvania  was  settled  in  16S2,  by  Wil- 
liam Penn  and  a  company  of  Quakers  from 
England.  New  Jersey  and  Marjdand  were 
settled  chiefly  by  the  English  ;  Delaware 
chiefly  by  Swedes. 


46 


NORTH  AMERICA  :   MIDDLE  ATLANTIC   STATES.— HISTORY,   SURFACE,  ETC. 


Surface  and  Soil.  —  The  Appalachian  sys- 
tem of  mountains  extends  across  the  state  of 
New  York  near  its  eastern  border,  but  the 
ranges  are  nowhere  very  high,  except  among 
the  Catskills  near  the  Hudson,  and  among 
the  Adirondacks  in  the  northern  part  of  the 
state.  Near  the  borders  of  New  Jersey  and 
Pennsylvania  the  high  mountains  begin  again, 
and  cross  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland  in  sev- 
eral nearly  parallel  ridges  from  northeast  to 
southwest.  They  are  here  called  the  Alle- 
ghany and  the  Blue  Mountains.  The  middle 
and   southern    portions    of   New    Jersey   and 


LAKE    CHAiMFLAIN. 


Delaware,  and  the  eastern  half  of  Maryland, 
are  nearly  level. 

Most  of  the  soil,  except  in  the  mountainous 
regions,  is  very  fertile. 

Climate  and  Productions. — ^This  group  of 
states  extends  a  distance  of  500  miles  from 
north  to  south.  The  climate  of  the  most 
northerly  state,  New  York,  is  therefore  very 
different  from  that  of  the  most  southerly, 
Maryland,  and  the  productions  differ  accord- 
ingly. 

In  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  the  amount 
of  farm  products — such  as  grain,  hay,  vegeta- 
bles, butter,  and  cheese — is  very  great. 

The  level  lands  of  New  Jersey  form  one 
immense  market  garden  for  the  supply  of  the 
great  cities  of  Philadelphia  and  New  York  ; 
for  they  have  a  delightful  climate,  and  a  light 
sandy  soil,  in  which  sweet -potatoes,  melons. 


peaches,  strawberries,  and  other  choice  prod- 
ucts grow  to  perfection.  Large  quantities 
of  these  products  are  raised. 

Delaware  and  the  eastern  part  of  Marjdand 
produce  peaches,  melons,  and  strawberries  for 
the  northern  markets.  Tobacco  and  Indian 
corn  also  are  raised  in  Maryland. 

Rivers.  —  In  New  York  is  the  noble  Hud- 
son, celebrated  for  its  charming  scenery.  Be- 
tween New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  flows 
the  Delaware,  on  which  is  the  great  port  of 
Philadelphia.  In  the  central  part  of  Pennsyl- 
vania is  the  Susquehanna;  and  at  Pittsburgh, 

in  the  western 
part,  the  Mo- 
nongahela  and 
the  Alleghany 
unite  to  form 
the  Ohio.  The 
Potomac  River 
forms  a  part 
of  the  bounda- 
ry between  Ma- 
ryland and  Vir- 
ginia. 
Lakes. — There  are  many  beautiful  lakes  in 
the  state  of  New  York,  the  largest  of  which 
are  Seneca  Lake,  Cayuga  [Ca-yu'-ga]  Lake, 
and  Oneida  [O-ni'-da]  Lake.  On  its  western 
borders  are  two  of  the  chain  of  fresh -water 
seas  cailed  the  "  Great  Lakes,"  and  on  its  east- 
ern border  is  Lake  Champlain. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  Middle  Atlantic  States. 

New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Dela- 
ware, and  Maryland. 

When  and  by  whom  was  Hudson  River  discovered  ? 
In  1609,  by  Henry  Hudson. 

By  whom  and  where  were  the  first  permanent  settlements 
made  in  New  York  ? 

By  the  Dutch,  at  Albany  and  on  Manhat- 
tan Island. 


NORTH  AMERICA:   MIDDLE  ATLANTIC    STATES.— OCCUPATIONS   OF   THE   PEOPLE. 


47 


By  whom  was  Pennsylvania  settled.' 

By  William  Penn  and  a  company  of  Quak- 
ers from  England. 

What  mountain  system  crosses  the  Middle  Atlantic  States  ? 
The  Appalachian  system. 

What  are  the  ranges  of  this  system  called  .' 

The  Catskills  and  the  Adirondacks,  in  New 
York  ;  the  Alleghany  and  the  Blue  Mountains, 
in  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  Maryland. 

What  is  said  of  the  soil  of  this  group  of  states  ? 
Most  of  the  soil,  except   in  the  mountain- 
ous regions,  is  very  fertile. 

What  are  the  chief  agricultural  products  of  New  York 
and  Pennsylvania  ? 

Grain,  hay,  vegetables,  butter,  and  cheese. 

What  are  the  chief  agricultural  products  of  New  Jersey 
and  Delaware  ? 

Vegetables,  peaches,  and   strawberries. 

What  are  the  chief 
agricultural  products  of 
Maryland  ? 

Indian  corn,  to- 
bacco, strawber- 
ries, melons,  and 
peaches. 

What  are  the  most 
important  rivers  of  this 
group  of  states  ? 

The  Hudson, 
in  New  York  ; 
the  Delaware,  be- 
tween New  Jersey 
and  Pennsylva- 
nia; the  Allegha- 
ny and  the  Mo- 
nongahela,  which 
unite  to  form  the 
Ohio,  in  the  west- 
ern part  of  Penn- 
sylvania ;  and  the 
Potomac,  on  the 
southern  border 
of  Maryland. 


LESSON    XXIX. 

MIDDLE  ATLANTIC  STATES-OCCUPA- 
TIONS OF  THE  PEOPLE. 

[To  be  Read.] 

We  have  learned  that  great  quantities  of 
farm  and  garden  products  are  raised  in  the 
Middle  Atlantic  States  ;  therefore  many  of 
the  inhabitants  must  be  occupied  in  tilling 
the  soil. 

Large  numbers  of  people  are  employed  in 
commerce.  The  glory  of  the  State  of  New 
York  is  its  commerce.  The  only  place  where 
it  has  any  ocean  coast,  except  on  its  islands, 
is  at  the  city  of  New  York.  But  the  harbor 
of  that  city  is  one  of  the  largest  and  safest 
in  the  world.      Its  waters  are  so  deep  that 


A    VIEW    IN    NEW    YORK    HARBOR. 


48 


NORTH  AMERICA  :   MIDDLE   ATLANTIC    STATES.— OCCUPATIONS   OF  THE   PEOPLE. 


ships  of  the  heaviest  draught  can  enter  it  at 
all  seasons  of  the  year.  And  what  an  amount 
of  business  is  carried  on  by  means  of  its  wa- 
ters year  by  year !  New  York  has  far  more 
foreign  commerce  than  any  other  city  in  the 
Union.  Ships  come  to  it  laden  with  the  pro- 
ductions of  other  countries  —  such  as  sugar, 
molasses,  and  spices;  silk,  woollen,  cotton,  and 
iron  goods  ;  gloves  and  jewelry  ;  hides  and 
coffee ;  tea  and  fruits,  and  many  other  things 
from  all  parts  of  the  world.  And  in  return 
they  take  away  to  other  countries  cotton, 
wheat,  flour,  butter,  cheese,  oil,  tobacco, 
boots,  shoes,  and  many  other  American 
products. 

Why  is  it  that  New  York  has  come  to  be 
such  a  vast  commercial  city?  It  is  because 
it  has  had  better  means  than  other  places  for 
carrying  on  business  with  the  interior  of  the 
country.  For  a  seaport,  in  order  to  be  pros- 
perous, must  have  a  good  harbor,  and  cheap 
and  easy  means  to  send  the  goods  its  ships 
bring  from  abroad  to  those  who  need  them 
in  the  interior,  and  also  to  bring  the  produce 
of  the  country  to  its  ships,  to  be  carried  to 
other  lands. 

Such  is  the  case  with  New  York  City.  It  is 
finely  situated  for  an  immense  trade.  First, 
there  is  Hudson  River,  on  which  vessels  can 
sail  a  distance  of  150  miles,  to  Troy.  From 
Albany  the  Erie  Canal,  363  miles  long,  makes 
a  highway  across  the  state,  to  Lake  Erie. 
Then  vessels  on  the  Great  Lakes  can  brine 
goods  from  all  parts  of  the  West  and  Canada, 
and  carry  back  what  may  be  wanted.  Besides 
all  this,  railroads  run  in  every  direction,  and 
furnish  convenient  means  for  carrying  on 
trade  with  the  millions  of  people  in  the  inte- 
rior of  the  country. 

Brooklyn,  Albany,  Buffalo,  Oswego,  and 
Rochester  are  other  commercial  ports  in  the 
State  of  New  York.  Brooklyn  is  the  largest 
city  in  the  state,  except  New  York. 

The  State  of  Pennsylvania,  also,  has  reason 


to  glory  in  its  commerce.  Delaware  River, 
on  its  eastern  border,  flowing  into  the  At- 
lantic Ocean,  affords  secure  and  convenient 
harbors  for  ocean  shipping.  In  the  western 
part  of  the  state,  the  Monongahela  and  the 
Alleghany,  both  navigable,  unite  to  form  the 
Ohio,  and  thus  there  are  easy  means  of  com- 
munication with  the  states  of  the  Great  Cen- 
tral Plain.  The  state  also  borders  on  Lake 
Erie,  and  shares  the  commerce  of  the  Great 
Lakes ;  and  it  is  amply  supplied  with  rail- 
roads. 

Philadelphia,  its  metropolis,  situated  on 
Delaware  River,  is  one  of  the  five  great  com- 
mercial ports  of  the  country.  In  population 
it  is  the  second  city  in  the  Union.  It  was  in 
the  "  Old  State  House  "  in  Philadelphia  that 
the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  signed, 
and  the  building  is  carefully  preserved. 


OLD   STATE   HOUSE,    PHILADELPHIA,   IN    1776. 

Pittsburgh,  at  the  junction  of  Monongahe- 
la and  Alleghany  Rivers,  and  Erie,  on  Lake 
Erie,  are  also  important  commercial  ports  in 
the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  So  too  are  Jersey 
City,  Hoboken,  and  Camden,  in  the  State  of 
New  Jersey. 

Baltimore,  in  Maryland,  which  has  an  excel- 
lent harbor,  and  is  connected  with  the  rest 
of  the  country  by  means  of  railroads,  has  a 
large  commerce  with  foreign  nations,  and  is 
the  metropolis  of  its  state. 


NORTH  AMERICA:    MIDDLE  ATLANTIC    STATES.— OCCUPATIONS   OF  THE   PEOPLE. 


49 


Many  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  group  of 
states  are  engaged  in  viamifactiiring.  The 
manufactures  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania 
are  the  most  extensive  and  important.  There 
are  many  manufactories  also  in  New  Jersey. 

The  most  noted  manufacturing  places  are 
New  York  City,  Buffalo,  Rochester,  Troy,  Syr- 
acuse, and  Utica,  in  the  State  of  New  York ; 
Newark,  Paterson,  Jersey  City,  and  Elizabeth, 
in  New  Jersey ;  Philadelphia,  Reading  [Red- 
ing], Pittsburgh,  Lancaster,  Williamsport,  and 
Allentown,  in  Pennsylvania;  Wilmington,  in 
Delaware ;  and  Baltimore,  in  Maryland.  Phil- 
adelphia is  said  to  have  nearly  ten  thousand 
manufactories  within  its  limits. 

Many  of  the  people  of  Pennsylvania  are 
employed  in  mining.  This  state  is  more  re- 
markable for  the  products  of  its  mines  than 
for  anything  else.     It  is  the  chief  mining  state 


COAL   MINE. 


in  the  Union.  In  the  Alleghany  Mountains 
are  beds  of  anthracite  or  hard  coal,  that  sup- 
ply fuel  to  millions  of  homes,  and  the  means 
of  producing  steam-power  to  vessels,  locomo- 
tives, and   factories.      Scranton    and  Wilkes- 

barre  are  important  cities  in  the  anthracite 
12 


region.  West  of  these  mountains  is  a  great 
quantity  of  bituminous  or  soft  coal,  which  is 
used  in  making  the  gas  that  lights  our  houses 
and  streets.  Iron-ore  of  excellent  quality  is 
found  in  the  earth  side  by  side  with  the  coal. 
There  are  also  valuable  coal-mines  in  the 
mountains  of  Maryland. 

Pennsylvania  produces  that  wonderful  nat- 
ural oil  called  petrolemn  (rock-oil),  which  is 
often  used  instead  of  gas  for  lighting  houses 
and  streets.  It  is  found  in  the  western  part 
of  the  state,  and  is  obtained  by  means  of  deep 
"wells"  drilled  into  the  solid  rock.  The  pro- 
duction of  this  oil  gives  employment  to  many 
people. 

The  oyster  fisheries  on  the  shores  of  Ches- 
apeake Bay,  in  Maryland,  are  a  source  of 
much  wealth. 

SJiip-building  is  an  important  business,  and 
many  ships  and  steamboats  are  built  on  the 
shores  of  Delaware  River  and  of  Lake  Erie. 
Many  of  these  vessels  are  made  of  iron. 

On  the  map  is  a  small  tract  of  land  on  the 
Maryland  side  of  Potomac  River,  but  separat- 
ed from  that  state.  It  is  the  District  of  Co- 
lumbia. Here,  in  the  city  of  Washington,  the 
capital  of  the  United  States,  Congress  meets 
to  make  laws  for  the  nation,  and  the  Presi- 
dent and  other  chief  officers  of  the  govern- 
ment perform  their  duties. 


[To  be  Recited.] 


-f 


Name  the  chief  occupations  of  the  people  of  the  Middle 
Atlantic  States. 

Agriculture,  commerce,  manufacturing,  min- 
ing, oyster-fishing,  and  ship-building. 

What  city  in  the  Union  has  the  most  commerce.? 

New  York. 

Why  has  New  York  come  to  be  so  large  and  prosperous  ? 

Because  it  has  a  good  harbor,  and  easy 
means  of  carrying  on  business  with  the  inte- 
rior of  the  country. 


60 


NORTH   AMERICA:    SOUTH   ATLANTIC    STATES,  ETC.— QUESTIONS   ON   THE   MAP, 


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52 


NORTH   AMERICA:    SOUTH   ATLANTIC   STATES.— HISTORY,  SURFACE,  ETC. 


LESSON   XXXI. 

SOUTH  ATLANTIC  STATES. -HISTOKY, 
SUEFAOE,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Our  study  now  brings  us  very  near  to  the 
Torrid  Zone,  the  region  of  warmth  and  bright- 
ness and  beauty.  It  brings  us  to  that  part  of 
our  country  where  oranges,  bananas,  figs,  cot- 
ton, rice,  and  sugar-cane  grow  ;  where  the  al- 
ligator basks  on  the  river-banks,  and  in  the 
moist  lowlands  beautiful  flowers  load  the  air 
with  perfume ;  and  where  the  land  is  divided 
into  great  plantations,  as  they  are  called,  in- 
stead of  into  small  farms,  as  in  the  Middle 
Atlantic  States  and  in  New  England. 

The  map  before  us  includes  two  groups 
of  states.  The  group  which  we  are  first  to 
study  consists  of  Virginia,  North  Carolina, 
South  Carolina,  Georgia,  and  Florida.  These 
are  called   the  "  South  Atlantic   States,"  be- 


cause they  are  all  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
country,  and  border  on  the  Atlantic  Ocean, 

Virginia,  the  most  northerly  of  this  group, 
is  one  of  the  oldest  of  the  states,  and  for  that 
reason  is  sometimes  called  the  "  Old  Domin- 
ion." The  first  permanent  settlement  in  Vir- 
ginia was  made  at  Jamestown,  in  1G07.  But 
the  oldest  town  in  the  United  States  is  St. 
Augustine  [Saint  Au-gus-tedn],  in  Florida.  It 
was  settled  by  the  Spaniards,  in  1565, 

South  Carolina  is  often  called  the  "  Palmet- 
to State,"  because  the  palmetto-tree,  a  kind 
of  palm,  abounds  there. 

Surface.— If  we  notice  the  position  of  the 
mountains  in  these  states,  we  shall  see  that  in 
Virginia  they  form  three  parallel  ranges :  the 
Blue  Ridge,  in  the  east ;  the  Iron  or  Smoky 
Range,  in  the  middle ;  and  the  Cumberland 
Mountains,  in  the  west.  Some  of  the  sum- 
mits of  these  ranges  are  very  high,  as,  for 
instance,  Mount  Mitchell,  in  North  Carolina. 
The  mountain  region  in  each  state,  except 
Virginia,  is  not  very  large.  South  Carolina 
has  but  few  mountains ;  and  Florida 
has  none.  The  southern  part  of  Flor- 
ida is  supposed  to  rest  on  a  great  bed 
of  coral. 

Between  the  ridges  of  the  mountains 
there  are  valleys,  which  are  covered 
with  vast  forests  of  oak,  chestnut,  and 
maple. 

A  portion  of  the  region  between  the 
mountains  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  call- 
ed the  "  Pine  Barrens,"  is  covered  with 
forests  of  pine-trees;  and  in  Georgia 
and  Florida  are  immense  forests  of 
live-oak. 

Productions.  —  The  mountain  region 
yields  coal,  iron,  marble,  and  slate. 
From  the  Pine  Barrens  we  get  tar, 
pitch,  turpentine,  and  lumber;  and  from 
the  forests  of  Georgia  and  Florida  the 
live-oak  timber  which  is  used  in  ship- 
building.     But   the   chief  products  of 


NORTH   AMERICA:    SOUTH   ATLANTIC   STATES.— HISTORY,   SURFACE,  ETC. 


53 


this  group  of  states  are  tobacco,  cotton,  and 
rice,  which  are  raised  in  large  quantities. 

The  tobacco-plant  is  a  native  of  this  coun- 
try. Sir  Walter  Raleigh  learned  about  it  from 
the  Indians,  and  it  was  afterwards  carried  to 
England,  where  it  soon  came  into  use ;  and 
now  tobacco  is  so  generally  used  that  it  is 
one  of  the  great  staples  of  the  United  States. 


iSV 


GATHERING   TURPENTINE. 


Cotton  is  the  most  important  staple  of  this 
group  of  states.  It  is  the  fruit  of  a  shrubby 
plant,  and  grows  in  pods.  As  the  seeds  ripen, 
the  white,  dry,  wool -like  substance  —  called 
"  raw  "  cotton  —  is  formed  ;  and  finally  the 
pods  open,  the  fleecy  contents  burst  forth, 
and  are  then  ready  to  be  picked.  A  busy 
time  it  is  when  the  picking  is  going  on. 

After  the  cotton  is  picked,  it  is  separated 
from  its  seeds  by  means  of  a  machine  called 
14 


a  cotton-gin,  and  it  is  then  pressed  into  bales 
and  sent  to  market. 

Then  there  is  that  excellent  article  of  food, 
rice.  This  grain  is  not  a  native  of  America, 
but  was  brought  from  the  East  Indies,  where 
it  is  the  chief  food  of  many  millions  of  peo- 
ple. It  can  not  be  raised  except  in  a  few 
places;  for  it  must  be  kept  under  water  after 
it  is  first  sown,  and  then  the  water  must  be 
drained  away.  It  grows  finely  in  the  low, 
moist  lands  of  the  South  Atlantic  States. 

The  chief  products  of  Virginia  and  North 
Carolina  are  wheat,  corn,  turpentine,  tobacco, 
and  sweet-potatoes  ;  of  South  Carolina,  cotton 
and  rice ;  of  Georgia,  cotton,  corn,  and  rice ; 
and  of  Florida,  cotton,  and  oranges,  and  other 
fruits  that  grow  in  warm  countries. 

Occupations.  —  Most  of  the  people  in  this 
group  of  states  are  engaged  in  agriculture. 
The  great  staples — tobacco,  cotton,  and  rice 
— of  which  we  have  been  speaking,  are  the 
chief  sources  of  their  wealth. 

There  are  also  many  people  employed  in 
commerce.  The  productions  of  these  states 
must  be  sent  to  other  states  and  countries 
where  they  are  to  be  used,  and  for  this  pur- 
pose commercial  ports  and  shipping  are  need- 
ed. Norfolk,  in  Virginia ;  Charleston,  in  South 
Carolina  ;  and  Savannah,  in  Georgia,  are  the 
most  important  ports. 

Other  ports  are  Alexandria,  Lynchburg,  and 
Portsmouth,  in  Virginia  ;  New  Berne  and  Wil- 
mington, in  North  Carolina;  Macon,  in  Geor- 
gia ;  and  Key  West,  in  Florida. 

Oyster-fishing  on  the  shores  of  Chesapeake 
Bay,  in  Virginia,  is  an  important  business. 
Large  quantities  of  oysters  are  shipped  from 
the  port  of  Norfolk  for  the  supply  of  north- 
ern markets. 

South    of  Chesapeake    Bay   there   are   few' 
good   harbors   anywhere   on   the   coast.      The 
ocean,  off  Cape  Hatteras,  in  North  Carolina, 
is    subject    to    violent    storms,    and    many    a 
wreck  occurs  on  that  dangerous  cape. 


54 


NORTH   AMERICA:    SOUTH   ATLANTIC   STATES.— HISTORY,   SURFACE,  ETC. 


I 


OYSTER-FISHING. 


A  part  of  the  people  are  engaged  in  man- 
ufacturing. Virginia  and  Georgia  are  fast  in- 
creasing the  amount  of  their  manufactures  ; 
for  in  their  mountains  they  have  rich  mines 
of  iron  ore  and  extensive  water-power. 

Richmond,  in  Virginia  ;  and  Augusta  and 
Columbus,  in  Georgia,  are  important  manu- 
facturing cities. 

Rivers. — The  chief  rivers  of  the  South  At- 
lantic States  are  the  Potomac  and  the  James, 
in  Virginia;  the  Roanoke,  in  North  Carolina; 
and  the  Savannah,  between  South  Carolina 
and  Georgia. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  South  Atlantic  States. 
Virginia,    North  Carolina,    South  Carolina, 
Georgia,  and  Florida. 

Why  are  they  so  called  ? 

Because  they  are  in  the  southern  part  of 
our  country,  and  border  upon  the  Atlantic 
Ocean. 

When  and  where  was  the  first  permanent  settlement 
made  in  the  United  States  ? 

In  1565,  at  St.  Augustine,  in  Florida. 


What  three  mountain  ranges  are  in 
the  South  Atlantic  States  ? 

The  Blue  Ridge,  the  Iron 

or    Smoky    Range,   and    the 

Cumberland  Mountains. 

What  is  said  of  the  southern  part 
of  Florida  ? 

It  is  supposed  to  rest  on  a 

vast  bed  of  coral. 

What  are  the  Pine  Barrens  ? 

They  are  a  low,  sandy  tract 
of  land  covered  with  forests 
of  pine-trees. 

Name  the  mountain  and  forest  prod- 
ucts. 

Coal,  iron,  tar,  pitch,  tur- 
pentine, and  lumber. 

Name  the  three  great  agricultural 
products  of  this  group  of  states. 

Tobacco,  cotton,  and  rice. 
Of  what  country  is  tobacco  a  native  ? 
The  United  States. 

What  is  said  of  the  cotton  crop  ? 

It  is  the  most  valuable  and  important  agri- 
cultural product  of  this  group  of  states. 
From  what  region  was  rice  first  brought  to  America  ? 

From  the  East  Indies,  where  it  is  the  chief 
food  of  millions  of  people. 

Name  other  products  of  these  states. 

Wheat,  corn,  and  oranges,  bananas,  figs,  and 
other  fruits  that  grow  in  warm  countries. 

What  is  the  principal  occupation  of  the  people  of  the 
South  Atlantic  States  ? 

Agriculture. 

Which  are  the  chief  commercial  ports  ? 

Norfolk,  in  Virginia  ;  Charleston,  in  South 
Carolina ;  and  Savannah,  in  Georgia. 

Which  are  the  chief  manufacturing  places  ? 

Richmond,  in  Virginia  ;  and  Augusta  and 
Columbus,  in  Georgia. 

Which  are  the  chief  rivers  of  the  South  Atlantic  States  ? 

The  Potomac  and  the  James,  in  Virginia; 
the  Roanoke,  in  North  Carolina ;  and  the  Sa- 
vannah, between  South  Carolina  and  Georgia. 


i 
f 


i 

I 
I 


NORTH   AMERICA:    SOUTH   CENTRAL   STATES.— SURFACE,   CLIMATE,  ETC. 


55 


LESSON  XXXII. 

SOUTH  CENTRAL   STATES. -SURFACE, 
CLIMATE,  PRODUCTIONS,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Now  we  cross  the  Appalachian  system  of 
mountains,  and  come  upon  the  slopes  and 
levels  of  the  Great  Central  Plain — the  basin 
of  the  mighty  Mississippi.  The  group  of 
states  we  are  to  study  consists  of  West  Vir- 
ginia, Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Alabama,  and 
Mississippi.  These  are 
called  the  **  South  Cen- 
tral States,"  because  they 
are  in  the  southern  por- 
tion of  the  Central  Plain. 

All  these  states,  ex- 
cept West  Virginia,  have 
Indian  names  ;  and  each 
name  has  a  meaning. 
Thus,  the  word  "  Missis- 
sippi "  is  taken  from  the 
name  of  the  great  river, 
which  means  "Father  of 
Waters  ;"  and  the  word 
^'  Tennessee "  is  taken 
from  the  name  of  the 
river  Tennessee,  which 
means  "  Great  Bend." 

Alabama    and    Missis- 
sippi are  sometimes  called  "Gulf"  States,  be- 
cause they  border  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 

Many  interesting  stories  might  be  told 
about  the  settlement  of  these  states.  In 
Kentucky,  for  instance,  the  Indians  fought 
the  first  settlers  so  fiercely,  and  so  much 
blood  was  shed,  that  the  state  was  called 
the  "  Dark  and  Bloody  Ground." 

Productions.— We  already  know  that  farm- 
ers raise  what  is  best  suited  to  the  soil  and 
climate  where  they  live,  and  what  they  will 
have  good   chances  to  sell.       Now,  in  West 


Virginia,  the  eastern  part  of  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee,  and  the  northern  part  of  Alabama, 
the  land  is  mountainous  or  hilly,  the  climate 
is  temperate,  and  there  is  abundance  of  ex- 
cellent grass ;  so,  as  there  are  millions  of  peo- 
ple living  not  far  away  who  need  beef  and 
wool  and  horses,  the  people  in  this  region  are 
occupied  chiefly  with  stock -raising — that  is, 
raising  cattle,  sheep,  and  horses.  The  rest  of 
the  surface  of  these  states  is  level,  as  well  as 
fertile,  while  the  climate  is  hot ;  and  on  these 
level  lands  in  Kentucky  large  quantities  of 
tobacco,  hemp,  and  corn  are  raised  ;    and  in 


VIEW   OF    LOUISVILLE. 


Tennessee,  Alabama,  and  Mississippi,  cotton 
and  corn.  Mississippi  raises  the  largest  cot- 
ton crop  of  any  state  in  the  Union. 

What  means  have  the  people  of  these 
states  to  send  their  products  to  market  ? 
They  can  send  them  by  means  of  the  Ohio 
and  Mississippi  Rivers,  which  flow  along  their 
entire  western  border.  In  addition,  the  Ken- 
tucky, Cumberland,  Tennessee,  and  Alabama 
Rivers  are  navigable  for  long  distances  into 
the  interior.  There  are  also  numerous  rail- 
ways.     Thus  they  have  excellent  means  for 


56 


NORTH   AMERICA:    NORTH   CENTRAL  STATES.— QUESTIONS    ON   THE   MAP. 


commerce ;  and  there  are  several  important 
commercial  ports :  these  are  Wheeling,  in 
West  Virginia ;  Louisville,  Covington  [Ciiv- 
ing-ton],  and  Newport,  in  Kentucky;  Nash- 
ville and  Memphis,  in  Tennessee ;  Mobile 
[Mo-beel],  in  Alabama;  and  Columbus,  in 
Mississippi.  Louisville,  beautifully  situated 
on  Ohio  River,  is  the  largest  city  in  the 
South  Central  States. 

Other  important  places  are  Parkersburg, 
in  West  Virginia ;  Lexington,  in  Kentucky ; 
Chattanooga,  in  Tennessee ;  and  Selma,  in 
Alabama. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  South  Central  States. 

West  Virginia,  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Ala- 
bama, and  Mississippi. 

Why  are  they  so  called  ? 

Because  they  are   in  the  southern  portion 
of  the  Great  Central  Plain. 

Why  are  Alabama  and  Mississippi  called  "  Gulf"  States  ? 

Because  they  border  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 


What  are  the  surface  and  climate  of  this  group  of  states  } 

In  the  eastern  part  the  land  is  mountain- 
ous or  hilly,  and  the  climate  is  temperate. 
The  rest  of  the  surface  is  very  level  and  fer- 
tile, and  the  climate  is  hot. 

What  are  the  chief  productions  ? 

Cattle,  sheep,  horses,  tobacco,  hemp,  cot- 
ton, and  corn. 

Which  state  raises  the  largest  cotton  crop  ? 

Mississippi. 

What  means  for  commerce  have  these  states  ? 

There  are  many  navigable  rivers — the  Ohio, 
Mississippi,  Kentucky,  Cumberland,  Tennes- 
see, and  Alabama — and  many  railroads. 

Which  are  the  chief  commercial  ports? 

Wheeling,  in  West  Virginia ;  Louisville, 
Covington,  and  Newport,  in  Kentucky;  Nash- 
ville and  Memphis,  in  Tennessee ;  Mobile,  in 
Alabama;  and  Columbus,  in  Mississippi. 

What  is  said  of  Louisville  ? 

It  is  the  largest  city  in  the  South  Central 
States. 


LESSON   XXXIII. 

QUESTIONS   ON   THE   MAP   OF  THE 
NOETH  CENTRAL  STATES. 

[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  North  Central  States.  {Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois, 
Wisconsin,  and  Michigan.)  What  are  these  states  sometimes 
called?  {The  Lake  States.)  What  country  is  north  of  this 
group  of  states  ?  What  province  and  states  are  east  ?  What 
states  are  south  ?     What  states  are  west  ? 

Which  of  these  states  consists  of  two  peninsulas  ?  What 
two  lakes  separate  tliese  peninsulas  ?  What  strait  connects 
Lake  Michigan  with  Lake  Huron  ?  What  lake  separates  the 
northern  peninsula  from  the  Dominion  of  Canada  ?  What 
lake  separates  the  southern  peninsula  from  Wisconsin  and 
Illinois  ?  What  three  lakes  are  east  of  the  southern  penin- 
sula ?  What  bay  is  in  the  eastern  part  of  Michigan  ?  What 
lake  and  what  bay  are  in  the  northeastern  part  of  Wisconsin  ? 


What  river  forms  the  southern  boundary  of  Ohio,  Indiana, 
and  Illinois  ?  Name  two  rivers  in  Ohio  that  flow  into  Ohio 
River.  What  one  flows  into  Lake  Erie  ?  What  river  forms 
part  of  the  boundary  between  Indiana  and  Illinois  ?  What 
two  rivers  form  the  western  boundary  of  this  group  of  states  ? 
What  is  the  chief  river  of  Illinois  ?  What  is  the  chief  river 
of  Wisconsin?  What  is  the  chief  river  of  Michigan  ?  What 
river  connects  Lake  Superior  with  Lake  Huron  ?  What  river 
connects  Lake  Huron  with  Lake  St.  Clair?  What  one  con- 
nects Lake  St.  Clair  with  Lake  Erie  ? 

What  is  the  capital  of  Ohio  ?  What  city  is  on  Ohio  Riv- 
er ?  What  city  is  nearly  west  of  Columbus  ?  What  city  is  on 
Maumee  River  ?  What  two  cities  are  on  Lake  Erie  ?  What 
is  the  capital  of  Indiana  ?  What  city  is  in  the  southwestern 
part  of  Indiana,  on  Ohio  River  ?  Name  one  city  on  Wabash 
River.     What  city  is  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  state  ? 

What  is  the  capital  of  Illinois  ?  What  city  in  Illinois  is 
on  Lake  Michigan  ?  What  city  is  on  Illinois  River  ?  What 
city  is  on  the  Mississippi  ?  What  is  the  capital  of  Wiscon- 
sin ?  What  two  cities  in  Wisconsin  are  on  Lake  Michigan  ? 
What  two  cities  are  on  Winnebago  Lake  ?  What  is  the  cap- 
ital of  Michigan  ?  On  what  river  is  it  ?  What  two  other 
cities  are  on  Grand  River  ?     What  city  is  on  Detroit  River  ? 


58 


NORTH   AMERICA:    NORTH   CENTRAL   STATES.— HISTORY,  SURFACE,  ETC. 


LESSON   XXXIV. 

NORTH  CENTRAL  STATES.  -  HISTORY, 

SURFACE,  ETC. 
[To  be  Read.] 

The  group  of  states  we  are  now  to  study 
consists  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Wisconsin, 
and  Michigan.  They  are  called  the  ''  North 
Central  States,"  because  they  are  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  Great  Central  Plain.  They  are 
also  called  "  Lake  States,"  because  they  bor- 
der on  the  Great  Lakes. 

This  is  a  very  remarkable  group.  Less 
than  a  hundred  years  ago  there  was  hardly 
a  log  hut  in  all  its  extent.  The  noble  old 
forests  in  the  northern  part  had  never  heard 
the  sound  of  the  settler's  axe,  and  in  the 
southern  part  the  tall  grass  waved  over  the 
lonely  prairies.  Now  everywhere  is  busy  life. 
There  are  many  great  cities  that  are  the  cen- 
tres of  trade  and  commerce  ;  vast  tracts  of 
forest  have  given  place  to  thriving  settle- 
ments, and  from  the  cultivated  prairies  comes 
the  grain  that  supplies  more  than  half  the 
land. 

It  is  easy  to  understand  why  these  states 
have  grown  so  rapidly.  In  the  first  place, 
they  have  a  deep  and  wonderfully  rich  soil ; 
for  most  of  their  surface  consists  of  prairie 
lands,  and  of  the  different  kinds  of  plains 
none  are  so  fertile  as  the  prairies.  And,  be- 
sides, they  have  a  good  climate ;  for  though 
the  winters  are  long  and  severe  in  the  north, 
the  summers  are  hot,  and  as  much  rain  falls 
as  is  needful.  For  these  reasons  this  group 
of  states  is  one  of  the  best  regions  in  the 
world  for  agriciilUire.  The  prairies  reach  from 
the  western  part  of  Ohio  entirely  across  the 
States  of  Indiana  and  Illinois,  and  from  the 
Ohio  River  on  the  south  to  the  middle  of 
the  States  of  Michigan  and  Wisconsin  on  the 
north.     In  the  northern  part  of  Michigan  and 


Wisconsin  are  great  forests  of  pine  and  other 
kinds  of  trees,  which  are  a  source  of  much 
wealth.  The  mines  of  these  states  are  also 
among  the  richest  in  the  world. 

But  this  fruitful  soil,  these  vast  forests,  and 
these  rich  mines  would  be  of  little  value  if  it 
were  not  for  easy  ways  to  carry  their  prod- 
ucts to  market.  Besides  the  navigable  rivers 
in  the  interior,  this  group  of  states  has  the 
Ohio  on  the  south  and  the  Mississippi  on  the 


RIVER   TRANSPORTATION. 


west,  which, 
united,  give  an 
outlet  to  the 
ocean  through  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  and 
connect  it  with  the 
whole  interior  of  the  continent ;  and  it  has 
the  Great  Lakes  on  the  north,  through  which 
its  products  can  be  carried  to  the  Atlantic 
States  and  the  countries  beyond  the  Atlantic 
Ocean.  It  has  railroads  also  running  in  ev- 
ery direction. 

The  history  of  Cincinnati  [Cin-cin-nah-ti], 
the  metropolis  and  chief  commercial  port  of 
Ohio,  is  quite  remarkable.  At  the  beginning 
of  this  century  it  was  a  small  village  of  seven 
hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants.  Now  it  con- 
tains  more   than   two  hundred  thousand  in- 


I 


NORTH   AMERICA:    NORTH   CENTRAL   STATES.— HISTORY,   SURFACE,  ETC. 


59 


habitants.  It  has  a  large 
commerce,  does  an  im- 
mense business  in  pork- 
packing,  and  is  one  of 
the  principal  manufact- 
uring cities  in  the  Unit- 
ed States.  As  it  was  for 
many  years  the  largest 
city  west  of  the  Ap- 
palachian Mountains,  it 
obtained  the  name  of 
the  "  Queen  City  of  the 
West." 

The  history  of  Chica- 
go [Shi-caw-go],  the  me- 
tropolis of  the  Lake  States,  is  even  more  re- 
markable. No  other  city  in  the  United  States 
has  had  so  rapid  a  growth.  Forty  years  ago 
it  was  only  a  village  of  twelve  houses,  on  the 
muddy  banks  of  a  little  river  flowing  into 
Lake  Michigan  ;  now  it  has  four  hundred 
thousand  inhabitants,  and  some  of  the  grand- 
est streets  and  buildings  on  the  continent. 
It  is  the  chief  lumber  and  pork  market  in 
the  United  States,  and  one  of  the  largest 
grain  and  cattle  markets  in  the  world. 

Detroit,  the  chief  commercial  port  of  Mich- 
igan, is  the  oldest  city  in  the  United  States 
west  of  the  Appalachian  Mountains.  It  is 
even  older  than  Baltimore  or  Philadelphia, 
for  a  trading -post  was  established  there  by 
the  French  in  1670.  Admirably  situated  for 
commerce,  midway  of  the  Great  Lakes,  and 
connected  by  many  railroads  with  the  inte- 
rior of  the  country,  it  has  a  large  business, 
and  is  rapidly  growing. 

Milwaukee,  the  largest  city  and  lake  port  of 
Wisconsin,  is  pleasantly  situated  on  the  west- 
ern shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  and  has  one  of 
the  finest  harbors  on  the  Great  Lakes.  It  is 
an  important  grain  and  lumber  market,  and  its 
business  and  population  are  fast  increasing. 

Toledo,  Sandusky,  and  Cleveland,  in  Ohio, 

and  Racine,  in  W^isconsin,  are  also  important 
i6 


HARVESTING   CORN. 


lake  ports ; 
and  Evans- 
ville,  New 
Albany,  and 
Madison,  in 
Indiana, and 
Quincy,  in 
Illinois,  are  important  ports  on  the  Ohio  and 
the  Mississippi.  Other  commercial  ports  are 
Peoria,  in  Illinois,  and  Grand  Rapids,  in  Mich- 
igan. 

Formerly,  only  those  places  grew  rapidly 
that  were  situated  near  the  ocean  or  some 
other  large  body  of  water,  such  as  a  sea,  lake, 
or  navigable  river.  Indianapolis,  the  capital 
of  Indiana,  is  an  example  of  the  way  in  which 
railroads  are  building  up  large  cities.  Instead 
of  water-ways,  it  has  railways  branching  from 
it  in  every  direction,  and  by  means  of  these  it 
carries  on  an  immense  business.  Dayton,  in 
Ohio ;  Fort  Wayne  and  Terre  Haute  [Ter-re- 
hote],  in  Indiana ;  and  Bloomington,  in  Illi- 
nois, are  also  important  railroad  centres — that 
is,  places  where  several  railroads  meet. 

Productions. — This  group  of  states,  as  we 
have  already  learned,  has  a  good  climate  and 
a  fertile  soil.  So  a  large  number  of  the  peo- 
ple who  live  here  are  engaged  in  farming. 
It  has  vast  forests,  too,  which  abound  in  valu- 


60 


NORTH   AMERICA:    NORTH   CENTRAL   STATES.— HISTORY,   SURFACE,  ETC, 


able  timber.  So  a  great  many  of  the  inhabit- 
ants are  engaged  in  liwibering.  What  are  the 
chief  productions  ? 

Wheat,  corn,  wool,  and  live-stock — that  is, 
cattle,  sheep,  and  horses — are  the  staples  of 
the  fertile  prairie  lands,  and  immense  quanti- 


WASHING   AND   SHEARING   SHEEP. 


tics  are  produced. 
Ohio  is  famous  for 
its  large  crops  of 
wool,  Illinois  for 
its  wheat  and  corn, 
and  Michigan  for 
its  fruit  and  lum- 
ber. Wisconsin 
produces  abun- 
dantly both  wheat 
and  lumber,  and  Indiana  raises  fine  crops  of 
all  the  staples  of  the  region. 

The  mines  of  these  states  yield  great  quan- 
tities of  valuable  metals  and  of  coal.  Ohio 
has  beds  of  iron  and  coal  ;  Indiana  and  Illi- 
nois, of  coal ;  Wisconsin,  of  lead  and  iron  ;  and 
Michigan,  of  copper,  iron,  and  coal. 

Manufactures.— Of  the  wheat  that  is  raised 
in  this  group  of  states  a  great  deal  is  made 
into  flour;  so  there  are  many  flour-mills  here. 


The  hogs  must  be  put  into  convenient  forms 
to  be  carried  to  market ;  so  there  are  many 
pork  -  packing  establishments,  where  the 
slaughtered  hogs  are  turned  into  pork,  ba- 
con, hams,  and  lard.  The  forest -trees  must 
be  changed  into  lumber ;  so  there  are  many 
saw -mills.  The  iron  and  the  copper  ores 
must  be  smelted  —  that  is,  melted  in  such  a 
way  as  to  make  them  pure  —  and  there  are 
furnaces  for  that.  There  are  also  other  man- 
ufactures of  almost  every  description. 

Cincinnati,  Cleveland,  Dayton,  Indianapolis, 
Ouincy,  Detroit,  and  Milwaukee  are  the  chief 
manufacturing  cities. 

In  addition  to  the  commercial,  manufact- 
uring, and  railroad  centres  that  have  been 
named,  Springfield  and  Hamilton,  in  Ohio  ; 
Lafayette,  in  Indiana  ;  Aurora,  Galesburg,  and 
Rockford,  in  Illinois;  Oshkosh,  Fond  du  Lac, 
and  La  Crosse,  in  Wisconsin ;  and  Jackson, 
East  Saginaw,  Kalamazoo,  and  Adrian,  in 
Michigan,  are  important  places. 

Rivers.  —  The  chief  rivers  are  the  Scioto, 
Maumee  [Maw-mee],  and  Miami  [Mi-am-i],  in 
Ohio  ;  the  Wabash,  in  Indiana ;  the  Illinois, 
in  Illinois ;  the  Wisconsin,  in  Wisconsin  ;  and 
the  Grand  and  the  Detroit,  in  Michigan. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  North  Central  States. 

Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  and  Mich- 
igan. 

Why  are  they  so  called  ? 

Because  they  are  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  Great  Central  Plain. 

What  is  said  of  their  surface  and  soil .'' 

Most  of  their  surface  consists  of  prairie 
lands ;  and  the  soil  is  deep,  and  very  rich. 

What  kind  of  climate  have  these  states? 

The  winters  are  long  and  severe  in  the 
north,  but  the  summers  are  hot.  As  much 
rain  falls  as  is  needful. 


NORTH   AMERICA  :    NORTH   CENTRAL   STATES.— HISTORY,  SURFACE,  ETC. 


61 


What  advantages  for  commerce  have  these  states  ? 

They  have  the  Ohio  on  the  south,  the  Mis- 
sissippi on  the  west,  the  Great  Lakes  on  the 
north,  and  many  navigable  rivers  in  the  inte- 
rior.    The  railroads  are  also  very  numerous. 

What  is  said  of  Cincinnati  ? 

It  is  the  chief  commercial  port  of  Ohio,  and 
has  a  population  of  more  than  two  hundred 
thousand. 

What  is  said  of  Chicago? 

Forty  years  ago  it  was  a  village  of  twelve 
houses  ;  now  it  has  four  hundred  thousand 
inhabitants.  It  is  the  chief  lumber  and  pork 
market  of  the  country,  and  one  of  the  great- 
est grain  and  cattle  markets  in  the  world. 

Which  are  the  chief  lake  ports? 

Toledo  and  Cleveland,  in  Ohio  ;  Detroit,  in 
Michigan;  Milwaukee,  in  Wisconsin  ;  and  Chi- 
cago, in  Illinois. 

Which  are  the  chief  river  ports  ? 

Cincinnati,  in  Ohio;  Evansville,  in  Indiana; 
Quincy  and  Peoria,  in  Illinois ;  and  Grand 
Rapids,  in  Michigan. 

Name  some  of  the  railroad  centres. 

Dayton,  in  Ohio  ;  Indianapolis  and  Fort 
Wayne,  in  Indiana;  and  Bloomington,  in  Il- 
linois. 

What  are  the  chief  productions  of  these  states  ? 

On  the  prairies,  wheat,  corn,  wool,  and  live- 
stock are  the  staples.  Michigan  and  Wiscon- 
sin produce  a  great  deal  of  lumber. 

What  are  the  products  of  the  mines  ? 

Coal  and  iron,  in  Ohio  ;  coal,  in  Indiana 
and  Illinois ;  lead  and  iron,  in  Wisconsin  ; 
and  copper,  iron,  and  coal,  in  Michigan. 

What  are  the  chief  manufactories  ? 

Flour-mills,  to  change  the  wheat  into  flour; 
saw-mills,  to  cut  the  trees  into  lumber;  pork- 
packing  establishments,  to  turn  the  hogs  into 
pork,  lard,  hams,  and  bacon ;  and  smelting- 
furnaces,  to  separate  the  metals  from  the  ores. 
17 


Which  are  the  chief  manufacturing  cities  ? 
Chicago,   Indianapolis,   Cincinnati,   Detroit, 
Milwaukee,  Cleveland,  Dayton,  and  Quincy. 

Which  are  the  most  important  rivers  ? 

The  Scioto  and  Maumee,  in  Ohio ;  the 
Wabash,  in  Indiana  ;  the  Illinois,  in  Illinois  ; 
the  Wisconsin,  in  Wisconsin  ;  and  the  Grand, 
in  Michigan. 


LESSON    XXXV. 

QUESTIONS  FOR  EEVIEW. 
[To  be  Recited.] 

By  what  nations  of  Europe  was  the  United  States  settled? 
Into  whose  hands  did  all  these  settlements  fall  ?  What  were 
these  settlements  called  at  that  time  ?  What  is  a  colony  ? 
How  long  ago  did  the  colonies  become  "free  and  independ- 
ent states  ?"  Give  the  names  of  the  thirteen  original  states. 
Where  were  they  situated  ?  How  and  by  whom  was  the 
Great  Central  Plain  settled  ?  How  did  California  come  to 
be  settled  ?  How  many  inhabitants  were  there  in  the  United 
States  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution  ?  How  many  are  there 
now  ?  What  is  said  of  the  means  of  travel  ?  What  is  said 
of  the  manufactories  ? 

Name  the  North  Atlantic  States.  Describe  the  surface 
of  these  states.  Describe  the  soil.  Describe  the  climate. 
What  are  the  chief  occupations  of  the  people  ?  What  advan- 
tages for  manufacturing  have  these  states  ?  What  advantages 
for  commerce  ?  What  advantages  for  lumbering  and  ship- 
building ?     Which  is  the  largest  city  in  these  states  ? 

Name  the  Middle  Atlantic  States.  Describe  their  surface. 
Describe  their  soil.  What  is  said  of  their  climate?  What 
are  the  chief  occupations  of  the  people  ?  What  are  the  chief 
agricultural  products  ?  What  advantages  for  commerce  has 
New  York  City  ?  What  advantages  for  commerce  has  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania  ?  For  what  is  Pennsylvania  most  re- 
markable ?  Which  are  the  two  largest  cities  in  the  Middle 
Atlantic  States  ? 

Name  the  South  Atlantic  States.  Describe  their  surface. 
What  is  the  chief  occupation  of  the  people  ?  What  are  the 
chief  agricultural  products  ?     Name  other  productions. 

Name  the  South  Central  States.  Describe  their  surface. 
Describe  their  climate.  What  is  the  chief  occupation  of  the 
people  ?  What  are  the  chief  productions  ?  Which  is  the 
largest  city  in  these  states  ? 

Name  the  North  Central  States.  For  what  are  they  re- 
markable ?  Why  have  they  grown  so  rapidly  ?  Name  the 
five  largest  cities  in  these  states.  What  are  the  chief  prod- 
ucts of  the  prairie  regions  ?  What  is  the  chief  product  of 
the  forests  ?     What  are  the  chief  products  of  the  mines  ? 


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64 


NORTH   AMERICA:    WEST   CENTRAL   STATES.— SURFACE,  CLIMATE,   ETC. 


LESSON    XXXVII. 

WEST  OENTEAL  STATES.-SUEFAOE, 

CLIMATE,  ETC. 
[To  be  Read.] 

We  will  now  cross  the  Mississippi  River 
and  study  the  "  West  Central  States."  They 
are  Minnesota,  Iowa,  Missouri,  Arkansas,  and 
Louisiana,  and  are  called  the  West  Central 
States  because  they  are  in  the  western  part 
of  the  Great  Central  Plain. 

These  five  states  extend  from  the  northern 


■<r/).,/''. 


limit  of  the  United 
States  to  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico,  a  distance 
of  nearly  fifteen  hun- 
dred miles.  The  great  Mississippi  River 
forms  the  entire  eastern  boundary  of  three 
of  them,  and  part  of  the  eastern  boundary 
of  the  other  two. 

Surface.  —  The  only  mountains  in  all  this 
region  are  the  Ozark,  in  Missouri.  The  sur- 
face consists  mostly  of  extensive  prairies  in 
the  northern  half,  and  of  low,  level  tracts  in 
the  southern  half.     The  soil  is  very  fertile. 

Climate  and  Productions. — A  very  long  belt 
of  territory  like  this  will,  of  course,  have  great 


differences  of  climate,  and  the  products  will 
also  differ.  Minnesota,  like  Wisconsin  and 
Michigan,  which  lie  east  of  it,  has  short  sum- 
mers, and  long,  cold  winters;  while  Louisiana, 
like  Mississippi  and  Florida,  has  almost  the 
climate  of  the  Torrid  Zone.  Wheat  and  corn 
are  the  great  staples  in  Minnesota  and  in  the 
prairie  region  of  Iowa  and  Missouri ;  while 
cotton  and  corn  are  the  chief  products  in  Ar- 
kansas and  Louisiana.  Louisiana  also  pro- 
duces fine  crops  of  sugar  and  rice. 

Stock-raising  is  carried  on  extensively  in 
most  of  these  states  ;  and  the  forests  of  Min- 
nesota abound  in  valuable  timber. 

^  Most  of  these   states 

have  great  mineral 
wealth.  Iowa  has  rich 
mines  of  coal  and  lead  ; 
Missouri  and  Arkansas, 
of  coal,  lead,  and  iron. 
In  the  southern  part 
of  Louisiana  there  is  a 
vein  of  pure  rock-salt 
of  great  value. 

South  of  St.  Louis, 
in  Missouri,  are  "  Iron 
Mountain"  and  "Pilot 
Knob,"  which  are  moun- 
tains wholly  composed 
of  iron  ore,  enough  to  supply  a  vast  region 
for  hundreds  of  years. 

Manufactures. — In  Minneapolis,  at  the  Falls 
of  St.  Anthony  [Saint  An'-to-ny],  on  the  Mis- 
sissippi, immense  quantities  of  flour  and  lum- 
ber are  produced  ;  and  St.  Louis,  in  Missouri, 
is  noted  for  the  extent  and  value  of  its  man- 
ufactures. Indeed,  manufacturing  establish- 
ments are  springing  up  in  all  parts  of  this 
active  and  prosperous  region. 

Commerce. — The  navigable  rivers  of  these 
states  give  them  excellent  means  for  com- 
merce. Mississippi  River  forms  their  east- 
ern border  for  more  than  a  thousand  miles, 
and   large  branches  of  that  great  water-way 


NORTH   AMERICA  :    WEST*  CENTRAL   STATES.— SURFACE,  CLIMATE,   ETC. 


65 


flow  through  or  near  them.  Missouri  River 
bounds  Iowa  on  the  west,  and  flows  through 
Missouri ;  Arkansas  River  crosses  Arkansas ; 
and  the  Red  River  of  Louisiana  is  navigable 
to  the  western  limit  of  the  state. 

St.  Louis  is  the  chief  city  of  Missouri,  and 
the  metropolis  of  the  Mississippi  Valley.  It  is 
situated  near  the  junction  of  the  Mississippi 
and  the  Missouri  Rivers,  the  former  naviga- 
ble for  more  than  seven  hundred  miles  to  the 
northward,  and  the  latter  for  two  thousand 
five  hundred  miles  to  the  foot  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  By  means  of  the  Ohio,  this  city 
communicates  with  the 
rich  states  on  that  riv- 
er ;  and  by  means  of 
the  Mississippi,  with  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico  and  the 
Atlantic  Ocean. 

On  these  water-ways 
and  on  numerous  rail- 
ways great  quantities 
of  products  are  brought 
to  St.  Louis  from  every 
quarter  of  the  Missis- 
sippi Valley,  and  from 
foreign  countries,  to  be 
sent  to  other  places 
where  they  may  be 
needed. 

New  Orleans,  the  cap- 
ital and  chief  city  of 
Louisiana,    is    another 

great  commercial  port  of  these  states.  It  is 
the  largest  city  in  all  the  southern  section  of 
our  country,  and  the  largest  cotton  port  in  the 
world.  Hundreds  of  steamboats  constantly 
line  its  levees,  either  discharging  or  taking  in 
cargoes. 

"  Line  its  levees  T  What  is  meant  by  that  ? 
Why  do  we  not  say,  "Line  its  wharves''  or 
its  ''piers,''  as  we  would  if  we  were  speaking 
of  New  York,  or  Philadelphia,  or  Baltimore, 
or  Chicago  ?  This  is  the  reason  : 
i8 


The  city  of  New  Orleans,  although  it  is  a 
hundred  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, is  built  where,  a  very  long  time  ago, 
there  was  no  dry  land  whatever,  but  the  whole 
surface  was  covered  by  the  waters  of  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico.  The  land  between  the  city  and 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  for  sixty  miles  still 
farther  inland,  has  been  slowly  formed  out  of 
earth  that  the  river  has  washed  from  its  banks 
and  brought  from  a  long  distance. 

The  land  thus  formed  is  not  so  high  above 
the  bed  of  the  river  but  that,  whenever  the  riv- 
er is  swollen,  the  neighboring  country  would 


SCENE   IN    NEW    ORLEANS. 


be  flooded  if  there  were  not  something  to 
prevent  it.  So  the  inhabitants  have  built 
wide  embankments  along  the  borders  of  the 
river :  these  embankments  are  called  levees. 

Very  often  the  water  of  the  river  is  much 
above  the  ground  on  which  the  city  is  built, 
and  would  sweep  over  it,  bringing  ruin  in  its 
track,  if  it  were  not  for  the  levees.  Some- 
times the  levees  above  the  city — for  they  are 
too  careful  to  let  such  a  thing  happen  in  the 
city  itself — become  weakened,  the  high  wa- 


Q6 


NORTH   AMERICA  :    WEST   CENTRAL   STATES.— SURFACE,  CLIMATE,  ETC. 


CREVASSE   ON    THB   MISSISSIPPI. 


ter  breaks  through  them,  and  pours  down 
on  the  plantations,  destroying  the  crops, 
drowning  the  cattle,  and  perhaps  drowning 
some  of  the  inhabitants  too.  Such  a  break 
is  called  a  crevasse. 

New  Orleans  is  built  on  a  bend  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi in  the  form  of  a  crescent  (that  is,  the 
form  of  the  new  moon),  and  on  that  account 
is  sometimes  called  the  "  Crescent  City." 

The  chief  commercial  ports  of  these  states, 
besides  St.  Louis  and  New  Orleans,  are  St. 
Paul,  Winona,  Dubuque  [Du-bo6k],  Daven- 
port, Burlington,  Keokuk,  and  Hannibal,  on 
the  Mississippi  ;  Council  Bluffs,  St.  Joseph, 
and  Kansas  City,  on  the  Missouri  ;  and 
Shreveport,  on  Red   River,  in  Louisiana. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  West  Central  States.  ' 

Minnesota,   Iowa,   Missouri,  Arkansas,  and 
Louisiana. 

Why  are  they  so  called  ? 

Because  they  are  in  the  western  part  of  the 
Great  Central  Plain. 


What  is  said  of  the  surface 
of  these  states  ? 

It     consists     mostly 

of  prairie    lands   in   the 

north,    and     low,    level 

tracts  in  the  south. 

What  are  the  staple  produc- 
tions ? 

Corn  and  wheat,  on 
the  prairie  lands;  corn, 
cotton,  sugar,  and  rice, 
on  the  low  level  tracts 
in  the  south. 

What  minerals  have  these 
states  ? 

Iowa  has  coal  and  lead  ;  Missouri  and  Ar- 
kansas, coal,  lead,  and  iron ;  and  Louisiana, 
rock-salt. 

What  noted  masses  of  iron  ore  are  in  Missouri  ? 

Iron  Mountain  and  Pilot  Knob. 

What  are  the  two  most  noted  manufacturing  places  ? 

Minneapolis,  in  Minnesota;  and  St.  Louis, 
in  Missouri. 

What  advantages  have  these  states  for  commerce  ? 

They  have  many  navigable  rivers,  the  chief 
of  which  are  the  Mississippi,  the  Missouri,  the 
Arkansas,  and  the  Red. 

What  is  said  of  St.  Louis  ? 

It  is  the  chief  city  of  Missouri,  and  the  me- 
tropolis of  the  Mississippi  Valley. 

What  is  said  of  New  Orleans  ? 

It  is  the  chief  commercial  city  of  Louisi- 
ana, and  the  largest  cotton  port  in  the  world. 

IIow  is  it  built  ? 

It  is  built  below  the  level  of  high  water  in 
the  river,  and  is  protected  by  banks  called 
levees.        ,,,, 

What  sometimes  happens  to  these  levees  ? 
The  high  water  breaks  through  them,  and 
causes  great  destruction  of  life  and  property. 
What  is  such  a  break  called  ? 

A  crevasse. 


NORTH   AMERICA:    STATES   OF   THE   PLAINS.— CLIMATE,   PRODUCTIONS,  ETC. 


67 


LESSON    XXXVIII. 

STATES   OF   THE  PLAINS. -CLIMATE, 
PEODUOTIONS,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

The  belt  of  states  and  territories  that  we 
are  now  to  study  lies  between  the  West  Cen- 
tral States  and  the  foot  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. The  surface  rises  gradually  from  the 
prairies  and  the  low,  level  tracts  to  the  moun- 
tains, and  the  region  has  long  been  known  in 
that  part  of  the  country  as  the  "  Plains."  So 
we  call  this  belt  the  "  States  of  the  Plains." 

They  include  Dakota  Territory,  Indian  Ter- 
ritory, and  the  states  of  Nebraska,  Kansas, 
and  Texas. 

Thus  far,  in  our  study,  we  have  had  to  do 
only  with  states ;  but  since  there  are  now 
territories  also  to  be  studied,  we  must  ex- 
plain what  a  territory  is. 

We  have  learned  that  a  state  is  a  portion 
of  the  country  whose  people,  while  they  are 
under  the  general  government  at  Washing- 
ton, have  also  a  government  of  their  own ; 
have  a  Governor  whom  they  elect,  and  a  Leg- 
islature, also  elected  by  them,  that  makes  laws 
for  them  ;  but  in  the  newly  settled  parts  of 
the  country,  where  there  are  few  inhabitants, 
the  general  government  appoints  the  Gov- 
ernor and  some  other  officers,  and  assists  in 
making  the  laws  and  keeping  order.  As  long 
as  the  people  anywhere  are  thus  helped  by 
the  general  government,  their  land  is  called 
a  "  territory."  A  great  many  of  the  states 
were  thus  territories  at  first  ;  and  there  are 
at  this  time  ten  territories. 

Climate  and  Productions.  —  Like  the  West 
Central  States,  the  States  of  the  Plains  form 
a  belt  extending  from  the  northern  to  the 
southern  boundary  of  the  United  States  ;  and 
have  therefore  great  differences  of  climate. 
In  Dakota,  which  is  farthest  north,  fur,  taken 


from  animals  that  live  only  in  very  cold  re- 
gions, is  one  of  the  products;  but  in  Texas, 
besides  corn  and  wheat,  the  staples  of  the 
Torrid  Zone,  such  as  cotton,  rice,  sugar,  or- 
anges, and  the  like,  are  raised.  On  the  prai- 
rie lands  of  Kansas  and  Nebraska  much  wheat 
and  corn  are  produced. 

A  large  part  of  the  business  of  these  states 


<■ 


SCENE   IN    TEXAS. 


south  of  Dakota  is 
stock  -  raising.  Vast 
herds  of  cattle,  some- 
times thousands  in 
number,  roam  over  the 
grassy  plains,  and  find 
support  all  the  year  /  t  ;-  -'^ 
round.  The  beef  mar- 
kets of  the  north  and 
east    are    supplied    in 

part  from  these  herds.     The  stock-farms  in 
Texas  are  called  ranches. 

Rivers. — The  largest  rivers  are  the  Mis- 
souri, which  flows  through  Dakota  and  along 
the  borders  of  Nebraska  and  Kansas,  naviga- 
ble all  the  way ;  the  Platte,  a  branch  of  the 
Missouri  in  Nebraska  ;  and  the  Kansas,  an- 
other branch  of  the  Missouri,  in  Kansas. 


68 


NORTH   AMERICA:    WESTERN    OR   HIGHLAND    STATES.— QUESTIONS   ON   THE   MAP. 


Chief  Cities  and  Towns. — The  chief  cities 
and  towns  in  this  belt  of  states  are  Omaha 
and  Nebraska  City,  in  Nebraska ;  Leaven- 
worth, Atchison,  Topeka,  and  Lawrence,  in 
Kansas  ;  and  Galveston,  Houston,  San  Anto- 
nio, and  Brownsville,  in  Texas.  Leavenworth, 
the  largest  city  in  Kansas,  is  an  important 
centre  of  trade.  Galveston  and  Brownsville 
are  the  chief  commercial  ports  of  Texas.  The 
latter  has  a  large  trade  with  Mexico. 

Indians.' — In  this  part  of  our  country  there 
are  roving  tribes  of  uncivilized  Indians,  some 
of  whom  are  fierce  and  quarrelsome,  and  fond 
of  war  and  bloodshed.  Indian  Territory  is  in- 
habited by  peaceful  and  partly  civilized  Ind- 
ians, who  cultivate  the  soil,  and  have  homes 
and  schools. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  States  of  the  Plains. 

The  states  of  Nebraska,  Kansas,  and  Texas, 
Dakota  Territory,  and  Indian  Territory. 


What  is  a  territory  ? 

It  is  a  newly  settled  part  of  the  country, 
where  there  are  so  few  inhabitants  that  the 
general  government  at  Washington  appoints 
some  of  its  officers,  and  assists  in  its  govern- 
ment. 

What  is  said  of  the  extent  and  climate  of  these  states  ? 

They  extend  from  the  northern  to  the 
southern  boundary  of  the  United  States,  and 
have,  therefore,  great  differences  of  climate. 

What  are  the  chief  productions  ? 

Wheat,  corn,  cotton,  rice,  sugar,  and  cattle. 

Which  are  the  largest  rivers  ? 

The  Missouri,  the  Platte,  and  the  Kansas. 

Name  the  most  important  places  in  this  belt  of  states. 

Omaha,  in  Nebraska;  Leavenworth,  in  Kan- 
sas ;  and  Galveston,  in  Texas. 

Who  inhabit  Indian  Territory  ? 

Peaceful  Indians,  who  cultivate  the  soil,  and 
have  homes  and  schools. 


I 


LESSON    XXXIX. 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  MAP  OF  THE 
WESTEM  OR  HIGHLAND  STATES. 

[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  divisions  of  the  Western  or  Highland  States. 
{Rocky  Mountain  Division,  Basin  Division,  and  Pacific  Divis- 
ion.) What  does  the  Rocky  Mountain  Division  include  ?  (// 
includes  the  State  of  Colorado,  and  the  Territories  of  Montana, 
IVyomitig,  and  New  Mexico.)  What  does  the  Basin  Division 
include  ?  (//  includes  the  State  of  Nevada,  and  the  Territories 
of  Idaho,  Utah,  and  Arizona.)  What  does  the  Pacific  Division 
include  ?  (//  includes  the  State  of  Oregon,  the  State  of  Califor- 
nia, Washingion  Territory,  and  Alaska.)  Where  is  Alaska  ? 
(See  map  of  North  America.)  What  country  is  north  of  the 
Western  or  Highland  States  ?  What  states  are  east  ?  What 
country  and  what  state  are  south  ?     What  ocean  is  west  ? 

What  mountain  system  extends  the  entire  length  of  the 
Rocky  Mountain  Division  ?  What  range  of  mountains  is  in 
Utah  ?     What  ranges  of  mountains  in  the  Pacific  Division  are 


near  the  sea-coast  ?  What  range  extends  the  entire  length 
of  California  ?  What  range  crosses  Washington  Territory 
and  Oregon  ? 

What  bay  is  on  the  west  coast  of  California  ?  What  lake 
is  near  the  centre  of  the  state  ?  What  strait  separates  Wash- 
ington Territory  from  Vancouver  Island  ?  What  lake  is  in 
the  northwestern  part  of  Wyoming  Territory  ?  What  large 
lake  is  in  Utah  ? 

What  river  is  in  the  northern  part  of  Montana  Territory  ? 
In  what  mountains  does  it  rise  ?  What  branch  does  it  receive 
from  the  south  ?  What  river  crosses  New  Mexico  from  north 
to  south  ?  What  river  separates  Arizona  from  California  ? 
What  river  is  in  the  northern  part  of  California  ?  What 
ranges  of  mountains  does  it  separate  ?  What  two  rivers  in 
California  flow  into  San  Francisco  Bay  ?  What  river  forms 
part  of  the  boundary  between  Oregon  and  Washington  Ter- 
ritory ?     What  branch  does  it  receive  from  the  south  ? 

Name  the  capital  of  each  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  States. 
Name  the  capital  of  each  of  the  Basin  States.  Name  the 
capital  of  each  of  the  Pacific  States.  What  city  in  Oregon 
is  northeast  of  Salem  ?  Name  two  cities  in  California  on 
San  Francisco  Bay  ?  What  city  is  nearly  south  of  Sacramen- 
to .'  What  city  is  nearly  south  of  Oakland  ?  What  noted 
valley  is  in  the  central  part  of  California  ?  What  park  is  in 
the  northwestern  part  of  Wyoming  Territory  } 


I 


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70 


NORTH  AMERICA:    WESTERN  OR  HIGHLAND  STATES.— ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  DIVISION. 


LESSON   XL. 

WESTEKN    OK    HiaHLAND    STATES: 
EOOKY  MOUNTAIN  DIVISION -SUR- 
FACE, PEODUOTIONS,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

West  of  the  States  of  the  Plains  is  a  large 
group  of  states,  called  the  "Western  or  High- 
land States."  They  are  so  called  because  they 
are  in  the  extreme  western 
part  of  the  country,  and  be- 
cause the  land  here  is  much 
higher  than  it  is  in  the  At- 
lantic States  and  the  States 
of  the  Great  Central  Plain. 
This  group  of  states  consists 
of  three  belts  or  divisions  — 
the  "  Rocky  Mountain  Divis- 
ion," the  "  Basin  Division," 
and  the  "  Pacific  Division." 
The  Rocky  Mountain  Divis- 
ion includes  the  State  of  Col- 
orado [Col-o-rah-do],  and  the 
Territories  of  Montana  [Mon- 
tah-na],  Wyoming  [Wy-6- 
ming],  and  New  Mexico. 

Thus  far  in  our  study  of 
the  United  States,  the  most 
remarkable  accounts  that 
have  been  given  us  have  been 
of  what  man  has  done — how 
he  has  cut  down  forests,  built 
cities  and  towns,  started  manufactories,  dug 
canals,  built  steamboats  and  railroads,  and 
made  a  great  nation.  The  things  we  are 
now  to  learn  about  are  of  a  very  different 
kind.  Here  are  the  wonders  of  nature. 
Here  are  mountains  of  tremendous  height  ; 
here  are  geysers,  or  hot  springs,  throwing 
boiling  water  hundreds  of  feet  into  the  air ; 
here  are  deep  gorges  among  the  hills,  worn 
by  streams  of  water,  and  called  canons  [kan- 


VIEW   IN    THE   NATIONAL   PARK 


yons],  whose  perpendicular  rock  walls,  from 
two  to  three  thousand  feet  high,  are  awful  to 
behold.  Here,  also,  are  lakes  and  water- falls 
remarkable  for  beauty,  and  vast  rocks  worn 
into  the  most  singular  forms. 

Most  of  this  remarkable  scenery  is  found 
among  the  Rocky  Mountains.  In  Colorado, 
one  can  see  from  the  lofty  summit  of  Mount 
Lincoln  hundreds  of  peaks,  some  of  which  are 
more  than  fourteen  thousand  feet  high.  Up 
among  these  peaks,  and  surrounded  by  them, 
like  vast  mountain  walls,  there 
are  four  plains,  some  of  them 
as  large  as  the  State  of  New 
Jersey.  We  should  expect 
such  high  plains  to  be  dread- 
fully cold  and  barren  ;  but 
these  have  a  delightful  cli- 
mate and  a  fertile  soil,  cov- 
ered with  grass  and  flowers. 
They  are  called  the  "  Parks  of 
Colorado."  Not  many  people 
have  their  homes  on  them 
now,  but  we  may  live  to  see 
them  covered  with  cities  and 
towns  and  cultivated  fields. 

In  the  northwest  corner  of 
Wyoming  still  more  wonder- 
ful scenery  is  found.  So 
many  mountains,  lakes,  for- 
ests, water-falls,  geysers,  rock- 
forms,  and  canons — all  grand 
or  beautiful — are  mingled  to- 
gether here,  that  the  nation- 
al government  has  set  apart  a  large  tract  to 
be  forever  kept  as  a  great  public  pleasure- 
ground,  under  the  name  of  the  "  National 
Park." 

Productions. — This  group  of  states  has  not 
a  great  amount  of  agricultural  products  ;  but 
its  mines  of  gold  and  silver  are  among  the 
richest  in  the  world. 

Rivers. — The  principal  rivers  are  the  Mis- 
souri and  the  Yellowstone,  in  Montana;   the 


i 


i 


NORTH   AMERICA:    WESTERN   OR   HIGHLAND   STATES.— BASIN   DIVISION. 


71 


Platte,  in   Wyoming ;    and    the    Rio    Grande 
[Ree'-o  Grahn'-day],  in  New  Mexico. 

History. — New  Mexico  was  settled  by  the 
Spaniards,  at  Santa  Fe  [San'-ta  Fay  ],  several 
years  before  the  English  had  begun  to  occupy 
the  Atlantic  coast.  The  rest  of  this  region 
has  been  settled  only  a  short  time.  There- 
fore there  are  few  settlements  and  only  a 
small  number  of  people  in  them. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  divisions  of  the  Western  or  Highland  States. 
Rocky  Mountain  Division,  Basin  Division, 
and  Pacific  division. 

Name  the  state  and  territories  in  the  Rocky  Mountain 
Division. 

The  State  of  Colorado,  and  the  Territories 
of  Montana,  Wyoming,  and  New  Mexico. 

What  is  the  surface  of  this  division  ? 

Most  of  the  surface  is  occupied  by  the 
Rocky  Mountains. 

What  is  said  of  the  mountains  in  Colorado .'' 

From  the  lofty  summit  of  Mount  Lincoln 
hundreds  of  peaks  can  be  seen,  some  of  which 
are  more  than  fourteen  thousand  feet  high. 

What  is  said  of  the  scenery  in  Wyoming  ? 

A  portion  of  it  contains  so  many  wonders 
and  beauties  of  nature  that  the  national  gov- 
ernment has  set  it  apart  as  a  public  pleasure- 
ground,  under  the  name  of  the  National  Park. 

What  are  the  Parks  of  Colorado  ? 

They  are  four  plains  high  among  the  moun- 
tains, some  of  them  as  large  as  the  State  of 
New  Jersey.  They  have  a  delightful  climate, 
and  a  fertile  soil. 

What  are  the  chief  productions  of  this  division  ? 

The  chief  productions  are  gold  and  silver. 

Which  are  the  most  important  rivers? 

The  Missouri  and  Yellowstone,  flowing 
through  Montana  ;  the  Platte,  in  Wyoming  ; 
and  the  Rio  Grande,  in  New  Mexico. 

20 


LESSON   XLL 

WESTERN  OE  HIGHLAND  STATES :  THE 

BASIN  DIVISION -CLIMATE, 

PEODUOTIONS,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Now  we  descend  the  Rocky  Mountains  on 
the  western  side,  and  pass  out  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Division  into  a  strange  and  dreary 
region.  It  is  a  plateau,  or  plain,  that  is  really 
very  high  ;  but  because  the  mountains  rise 
higher  than  the  plain  on  every  side,  it  seems 
like  a  basin  in  the  midst  of  them.  Therefore 
we  call  the  state  and  territories  that  occupy 
this  plateau  the  "  Basin  Division." 

They  are  the  State  of  Nevada  and  the  Ter- 
ritories of  Idaho,  Utah,  and  Arizona.  They 
have  the  Rocky  Mountains  on  the  east,  and 
the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Cascade  Mountains  on 
the  west. 

Climate. — In  the  greater  part  of  this  region 
rain  seldom  falls.  This  is  especially  true  of 
Arizona  and  Utah,  where  from  day  to  day 
during  the  long  summer  the  hot  and  dazzling 
sunshine  pours  down  from  a  cloudless  sky. 
Few  plants  can  live  in  the  dry,  hard  soil. 
Almost  the  only  ones  are  the  cactus  in  the 
south,  and  the  sage-bush  in  the  north. 

Would  you  like  to  know  the  reason  that 
there  is  so  little  rain?  It  is  because  the 
winds  from  the  east  and  south,  before  they 
cross  the  Rocky  Mountains,  gradually  part 
with  the  water  that  they  bring  from  the  At- 
lantic Ocean  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  In  like 
manner  the  winds  from  the  Pacific  Ocean  be- 
come dry  before  they  cross  the  lofty  Sierra 
Nevada.  So  this  poor  region  has  few  clouds 
and  little  rain. 

The  Colorado  River,  which  is  formed  from 
the  melting  of  the  snow  among  the  moun- 
tains, flows  through  the  southern  part  of  this 


72 


NORTH   AMERICA:    WESTERN   OR   HIGHLAND   STATES.— PACIFIC   DIVISION. 


region  into  the  Gulf  of  California.  We  have 
already  learned  what  canons  are,  and  the 
canons  of  the  Colorado  are  even  more  awful 
than  those  of  other  streams.  Their  perpen- 
dicular rock  walls, 
from  half  a  mile  to 
more  than  a  mile  in 
height,  and  the  riv- 
er dashing  along  in 
the  gloomy  depths, 
make  the  scenery 
grand  beyond  de- 
scription. 

Productions. — But 
this  wonderful  re- 
gion is  by  no  means 
useless,  for  it  is  rich 
in  mines  of  silver 
and  lead.  The  State 
of  Nevada  has  sil- 
ver-mines that  yield 
more  silver  than  any 
others  in  the  world. 
The  Territory  of 
Utah  also  carries  on 
an  excellent  system 
of  agriculture  by 
means  of  irrigation; 
that  is,  the  water  of 
the  streams  is  turn- 
ed from  its  channels 
by  means  of  trench- 
es, and  made  to  flow 
over  and  moisten  the  land.  So  the  people 
who  live  in  Utah  have  charming  and  fruitful 
gardens,  and  the  streets  of  their  chief  city, 
called  Salt  Lake  City,  are  lined  with  beauti- 
ful trees. 


CANON   OF  THE  COLORADO. 


What  is  peculiar  to  this  region  ? 

It  is  so  enclosed  by  mountains  that  it  gets 
but  little  rain. 

What  are  the  chief  productions  of  this  group  ? 

Silver  and  lead.  The  State  of  Nevada  has 
the  richest  silver-mines  in  the  world. 

How  do  the  people  in  Utah  make  their  land  productive .'' 
By  means  of  irrigation  ;  that  is,  by  causing 

the  water  of  the   streams  to   flow  over  and 

moisten  the  land. 


LESSON   XLIL 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  state  and  territories  of  the  Basin  Division. 
The  State  of  Nevada  and  the  Territories  of 
Idaho,  Utah,  and  Arizona. 


WESTERN  OE  HiaHLAND  STATES :  THE 

PACIFIC  DIVISION-HISTORY, 

SURFACE,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.]  m 

Leaving  the  dry  and  desolate  plains  of  the 
Basin  Division  behind  us,  we  will  cross  the 
Sierra  Nevada  —  those  lofty,  snow-capped 
mountains — and  descend  into  the  valleys  near 
the  shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  states 
and  territories  that  occupy  these  valleys  are 
called  the  "  Pacific  Division."  They  are  the 
State  of  California,  the  State  of  Oregon, 
Washington  Territory,  and  Alaska. 

California  was  the  first  of  these  to  be  set- 
tled, and  it  has  a  very  remarkable  history. 
Until  the  year  1848  it  belonged  to  Mexico,  and 
had  very  few  people  living  in  it  except  rov- 
ing tribes  of  savages.  Then  it  came  into  the 
possession  of  the  United  States,  and  some 
explorers  found  gold  among  its  mountains. 
That  was  the  beginning  of  its  settlement  and 
prosperity.  The  story  flew  over  the  United 
States  from  one  end  to  the  other  that  the 
new  territory  of  California  was  full  of  gold,  . 
and  thousands  of  people  hurried  thither  in 
the  hope  of  making  their  fortunes  in  gold-  , 
mining.      A  great   many  were   disappointed, 


NORTH   AMERICA:    WESTERN    OR   HIGHLAND   STATES.— PACIFIC   DIVISION. 


73 


W^i^^^^&gv 


and  came  back  poorer 
than  they  went  ;  but 
many  were  successful, 
and  made  up  their 
minds  to  live  in  Califor- 
nia. Immense  quanti- 
ties of  gold  were  taken 
out  of  streams  and 
mines  among  the  moun- 
tains. Mining  soon  be- 
came a  regular  business. 
Well  -  built    towns    and 

cities  took  the  place  of  rude  settlements. 
San  Francisco,  from  which  the  miners  obtain- 
ed almost  everything  they  needed  to  use, 
grew  with  astonishing  rapidity.  Meanwhile, 
farmers  began  to  cultivate  the  fertile  lands 
in  the  valleys,  and  to  raise  great  quantities 
of  grain,  fruit,  and  other  necessaries  of  life  ; 
and  other  people  started  different  kinds  of 
manufactures. 

The  State  of  California  now  has  nearly  a 
million  inhabitants,  and  is  rapidly  increasing 
in  wealth  and  population.  The  mines  still 
yield  vast  amounts  of  gold ;  and  the  prod- 
ucts of  the  fields  and  the  manufactories  are 
becoming  more  extensive  and  valuable  every 
year.  San  Francisco,  the  chief  commercial 
city  of  the  state,  has  lines  of  steamships  and 
sailing-vessels  to  the  chief  ports  of  Europe, 
Asia,  and  the  Atlantic  coast  of  the  United 
States.  It  is  situated  on  San  Francisco  Bay, 
the  entrance  to  which  is  called  the  "  Golden 
Gate,"  and  is  the  largest  city  in  the  United 
States  west  of  the  Great  Central  Plain.  All 
this  has  taken  place  in  less  than  thirty  years. 

The  other  important  cities  of  California  are 
Sacramento,  Oakland,  Stockton,  and  San  Jose 
[San  Ho-say']. 

California  is  noted  for  its  remarkable  nat- 
ural curiosities.  Chief  among  them  is  a  val- 
ley called  the  Yosemite  [Yo-sem'-i-te],  which 
is  a  chasm,  ten  miles  long  and  three  miles 
wide  in  its  widest   part,  that  has  perpendic- 


THE  GOLDEN  GATE. 


ular  walls  of  granite  from  three  thousand  to 
five  thousand  feet  high,  over  one  of  which  a 
river  plunges  in  a  wonderful  water-fall. 

There  are  also  groves  of  enormous  ever- 
green trees,  some  of  which  are  one  hundred 
feet  around,  four  hundred  feet  high,  and  three 
thousand  years  old.  Would  you  not  like  to 
see  these  trees,  one  of  which,  if  hollowed  out, 
would  make  room  enough  for  a  whole  family 
to  live  in? 

There  is  not  much  to  be  told  about  Alaska, 
for  it  is  a  very  cold  region,  and  there  are  few 
inhabitants  except  Indians  and  Esquimaux. 
It  was  bought  of  Russia  by  the  United  States, 
and  seems  to  be  valuable  only  for  its  fur-seal 
fisheries. 

Surface  and  Climate, — The  surface  of  this 
division  is  much  broken.  There  are  two 
ranges  of  mountains  passing  through  it  par- 
allel with  the  coast — the  Sierra  Nevada  and 
Cascade  Mountains  in  the  centre,  and  the 
Coast  Ranges  in  the  western  part ;  so  that  a 
great  deal  of  the  land  can  never  be  cultivated. 
But  in  the  valleys  of  the  streams,  especially 
those  of  the  Willamette  [Wil-lam'-ct],  in  Ore- 
gon, and  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin 
[Ho-a-keen'],  in  California,  the  soil  is  fertile, 


74 


NORTH   AMERICA:    WESTERN   OR   HIGHLAND   STATES.— PACIFIC   DIVISION. 


and  immense  crops  of  grain,  fruit,  and  veg- 
etables are  raised. 

Washington  Territory  has  vast  forests  of 
valuable  timber,  and  Oregon  raises  much 
wool  and  live-stock.  Salmon -fishing  is  an 
important  occupation  in  Oregon.  Large 
quantities  of  canned  salmon  are  shipped  to 
eastern  markets. 


Except  in  Alaska,  the  climate  is  mild,  and 
there  are  only  two  seasons — the  wet  and  the 
dry.  From  December  to  April  it  rains  almost 
every  day,  while  during  the  rest  of  the  year 
it  is  warm  and  dry. 

Rivers. — The  chief  rivers  are  the  Columbia, 
between  Washington  Territory  and  Oregon ; 
the  Willamette,  in  Oregon  ;  the  Sacramento, 
San  Joaquin,  and  Colorado,  in  California  ;  and 
the  Yukon,  in  Alaska. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  states  and  territories  of  the  Pacific  Division. 
The  States  of  California  and  Oregon,  and 
Washington  Territory  and  Alaska. 

What  is  said  of  San  Francisco  ? 

It  is  the  chief  commercial  city  of  Califor- 
nia, and  is  the  largest  city  in  the  United 
States  west  of  the  Great  Central  Plain.     It 


has  a  magnificent  harbor,  and  lines  of  steam- 
ships and  sailing-vessels  to  the  principal  ports 
of  Europe,  Asia,  and  the  Atlantic  coast  of  the 
United  States. 

Name  other  important  cities  in  California. 

Sacramento,  Oakland,    Stockton,   and    San 

T  '  * 

Jose. 

Name  two  wonderful  natural  curiosities  of  California. 

The  Yosemite  Valley,  a  chasm  ten  miles 
long  and  three  miles  wide,  between  perpen- 
dicular walls  that  are  from  three  thousand  to 
five  thousand  feet  high ;  and  enormous  ever- 
green trees  that  are  one  hundred  feet  around, 
four  hundred  feet  high,  and  three  thousand 
years  old. 

What  is  the  condition  of  Alaska  ? 

It  is  a  very  cold  region,  and  seems  to  be 
valuable  only  for  its  fur-seal  fisheries. 

What  is  said  of  the  surface  of  the  country  ? 

The  surface  is  much  broken  by  the  two 
ranges  of  mountains  that  pass  through  it 
from  north  to  south — the  Sierra  Nevada  and 
Cascade  Mountains  in  the  centre,'  and  the 
Coast  Ranges  near  the  coast. 

Where  is  the  fertile  land  ? 

In  the  valleys  of  the  streams,  especially  in 
those  of  the  Willamette,  the  San  Joaquin,  and 
the  Sacramento. 

What  are  the  chief  agricultural  products  ? 
Grain,  fruits,  and  vegetables. 
What  other  important  products  has  this  group  of  states  ? 
Gold,  in  California ;  lumber,  in  Washington 
Territory ;  and  wool  and  live-stock,  in  Oregon. 

What  is  said  of  the  climate  .' 

Except  in  Alaska,  the  climate  is  mild ;  and 
there  are  only  two  seasons,  the  wet  and  the  dry. 

Which  are  the  chief  rivers  of  this  division  ? 

The  Columbia,  between  Washington  Terri- 
tory and  Oregon  ;  the  Willamette,  in  Oregon; 
the  San  Joaquin  and  the  Sacramento,  in  Cali- 
fornia ;  the  Colorado,  between  California  and 
Arizona ;  and  the  Yukon,  in  Alaska. 


NORTH   AMERICA  :    BRITISH   AMERICA.— CLIMATE,  PRODUCTIONS,  ETC. 


75 


LESSON   XLIII. 

BRITISH  AMEEIOA,  MEXICO,  AND  CEN- 
TRAL AMERICA. 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  MAP. 

(See  Map  of  North  America.) 

[To  be  Recited.] 

What  country  is  north  of  the  United  States  ?  What  are 
the  principal  divisions  of  British  America?  {The  Dominion 
of  Canada  and  the  colony  of  Newfoundland  [New-fond-land].) 
What  is  the  capital  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada?  (OUa-va.) 
Of  what  does  the  Dominion  of  Canada  consist  ?  (/t  consists 
of  the  provinces  of  Nma  Scotia,  Prince  Edward  Island,  New 
Brunswick,  Quebec,  Ontario,  Manitoba  [Man -i- to- bah],  and 


British  Columbia,  Northwest  Territory,  the  District  of  Keway- 
din,  and  Northeast  Territory?)  What  river  is  in  the  east- 
ern part  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  ?  Into  what  gulf  does 
it  flow?  What  two  cities  are  on  St.  Lawrence  River?  Of 
what  province  is  Quebec  the  capital  ?  What  city  is  on  Lake 
Ontario  ?  What  large  island  is  east  of  the  Gulf  of  St.  Law- 
rence ?  What  is  its  capital  ?  What  peninsula  is  in  the  east- 
ern part  of  British  America  ?  To  what  colony  does  it  be- 
long ?     {iVeivfou/tdldiid.) 

What  peninsula  is  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  Domin- 
ion of  Canada?  What  is  its  capital  ?  Which  province  bor- 
ders on  the  Pacific  Ocean  ?     What  is  its  capital  ? 

What  country  is  south  of  the  United  States  ?  What  pen- 
insula is  in  the  western  part  of  Mexico  ?  What  peninsula 
is  in  the  eastern  part  ?  What  gulf  is  between  the  peninsula 
of  California  and  the  main-land  ?  What  gulf  is  east  of  Mex- 
ico ?  What  is  the  capital  of  Mexico  ?  What  is  the  chief 
seaport  ?  On  what  gulf  is  it  ?  What  country  is  southeast 
of  Me.xico  ?  What  sea  is  east  of  Central  America?  What 
ocean  is  west?  What  isthmus  connects  Central  America  with 
South  America  ? 


LESSON   XLIV. 

BRITISH  AMERICA-CLIMATE,  PRO- 
DUCTIONS, ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

We  have  finished  the  study  of  our  own 
country,  and  now  we  will  learn  something 
about  our  neighbors.  We  will  begin  with 
those  who  live  to  the  north  of  us  in  British 
America ;  for  all  the  northern  part  of  North 
America,  except  Greenland,  Iceland,  and  Alas- 
ka, belongs  to  Great  Britain,  and  is  called 
British  America.  It  is  divided  into  the  Do- 
minion of  Canada  and  the  colony  of  New- 
foundland. 

Most  of  this  vast  region  is  so  very  cold 
that  few  people  live  there.  It  is  only  near 
the  borders  of  the  United  States  that  we 
find  roads  and  fields,  and  the  settled  homes 
of  white  men. 

If  we  look  on  the  map,  we  shall  see  a  pen- 
insula lying  between  Lake  Huron,  Lake  Erie, 


and  Lake  Ontario.  On  that  peninsula,  and 
in  the  valley  of  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  most 
of  the  people  of  British  America  live. 

The  climate  of  this  populous  region  is  like 
that  of  the  portion  of  the  United  States 
which  is  near  by ;  and  every  boy  and  girl  in 
the  northern  part  of  New  York  or  of  New 
England  knows  very  well  what  that  means. 
It  means  short,  but  warm,  delightful  sum- 
mers, when  the  leaves  are  green  and  the  flow- 
ers are  beautiful.  It  means  also  long  winters, 
when  the  snow  lies  two  or  three  feet  deep 
on  the  ground,  and  the  air  is  so  frosty  that 
the  moisture  of  men's  breaths  freezes  on  their 
beards  when  they  go  out-of-doors ;  when  the 
jingle  of  sleigh-bells  takes  the  place  of  the 
rumbling  of  wheels,  and  the  boys  and  girls 
have  good  sport  coasting  and  skating;  and 
when,  in  the  long  evenings,  there  is  many  a 
merry-making  in  the  comfortable  homes 
around  the  crackling  fires. 

It  is  not  the  milder  climate  alone  that  has 
led  most  of  the  people  of  British  America  to 
live  where  they  do,  but  also  the  good  chance 


76 


NORTH   AMERICA:    BRITISH   AMERICA.— CLIMATE,  PRODUCTIONS,  ETC. 


they  have  for  fishing  and  for  commerce.  They 
have  many  vessels  that  do  business  on  the 
Great  Lakes,  and  steamboats  and  other  ves- 
sels are  constantly  passing  up  and  down  the 
noble  river  St.  Lawrence,  except  when  it  is 
frozen  over.  Huge  rafts  of  lumber  also  go 
floating  down.  The  large  cities  of  Quebec 
and  Montreal  are  on  this  river,  and  they  have 
many  ships  that  trade  with  the  countries  of 
Europe  and  other  parts  of  the  world. 

The  people  who  live  near  the  shores  of  the 
Atlantic  and  on  the  islands  near  by  make  use 
of  the  ocean  for  something  more  important  to 


FALLS  OF  MONTMORENCY,  NEAR  QUEBEC. 


them  than  commerce.  Not  far  from  the  isl- 
and of  Newfoundland,  and  over  a  large  tract 
of  the  ocean,  the  water  is  quite  shallow. 
This  tract  is  called  the  "  Banks  of  Newfound- 
land," and  abounds  in  cod  and  other  excellent 
fish.  There  is  fine  fishing  also  in  the  gulfs  and 
bays  on  the  coast  and  among  the  islands.  So 
this  is  a  region  of  bold  and  hardy  fishermen. 
The  cod,  herring,  and  seal  fisheries  give  sup- 
port to  a  large  number  of  people. 

Productions. —  Fish,  oil,  furs,  lumber,  grain, 
and  coal  are  the  chief  productions  of  this 
northern  region.  The  coal-mines  are  in  the 
province  of  Nova  Scotia. 

Important  Cities.— The  most  impor- 
tant cities  of  British  America  are  Mont- 
real and  Quebec,  in  the  province  of  Que- 
bec ;  Toronto  and  Ottawa,  in  Ontario ; 
St.  John,  in  New  Brunswick  ;  Halifax, 
in  Nova  Scotia ;  and  St.  Johns,  in 
Newfoundland.  Halifax,  the  capital 
of  Nova  Scotia,  is  noted  as  a  stopping- 
place  for  steamships  on  their  voyages 
to  and  from  Europe.  It  has  one  of  the 
finest  harbors  in  the  world. 

Government. — The  chief  ruler  of  the 
Dominion  of  Canada  is  called  the  Gov- 
ernor-general, and  is  appointed  by  the 
Queen  of  Great  Britain.  Of  the  other 
rulers  and  law -makers,  some  are  ap- 
pointed by  the  Governor-general,  oth- 
ers are  chosen  by  the  people. 

History. — The  valley  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence was  first  settled  by  the  French, 
who  built  the  cities  of  Quebec  and 
Montreal,  and  had  homes  and  farms  in 
all  the  neighboring  region.  At  length 
there  was  war  between  France  and 
England,  and  the  English  gained  pos- 
session of  the  country.  But  the  French 
people  remained,  and  their  descendants 
now  dress  much  as  their  forefathers  did, 
and  speak  the  same  language,  and  pre- 
serve most  of  their  habits  and  customs. 


NORTH  AMERICA  :  MEXICO  AND  CENTRAL  AMERICA.— SURFACE,  CLIMATE,  ETC. 


77 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  the  northern  part  of  North  America  called  ? 

It  is  called  British  America. 


Why  is  it  called  British  America .' 

It  is 
Britain 


It  is  so  called  because  it  belongs  to  Great 


Into  what  is  it  divided  ? 

It  is  divided  into  the  Dominion  of  Canada 
and  the  colony  of  Newfoundland, 

In  what  part  of  British  America  do  most  of  the  people 
live  ? 

On  the  peninsula  between  Lake  Huron, 
Lake  Erie,  and  Lake  Ontario,  and  in  the  val- 
ley of  the  river  St.  Lawrence. 

What  is  the  climate  of  this  part  of  the  country  ? 

It  is  like  that  of  the  portion  of  the  United 
States  near  by  —  the  summers  are  short  and 
warm,  the  winters  long  and  cold. 

What  is  said  of  the  fisheries  of  British  America? 

On  the  Banks  of  Newfoundland,  and  in 
the  gulfs  and  bays  along  the  coast,  there  is 
an  abundance  of  excellent  fish,  and  the  cod, 
herring,  and  seal  fisheries  are  extensive. 

What  are  the  chief  productions  ? 
Fish,  oil,  furs,  lumber,  grain,  and  coal  are 
the  chief  productions. 

Name  the  most  important  cities  of  British  America. 

Montreal  and  Quebec,  in  the  province  of 
Quebec ;  Toronto  and  Ottawa,  in  Ontario ; 
St.  John,  in  New  Brunswick  ;  Halifax,  in  Nova 
Scotia  ;  and  St.  Johns,  in  Newfoundland. 

What  is  the  chief  ruler  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  called  ? 

The  chief  ruler  is  called  the  Governor-gen- 
eral. 

By  whom  is  he  appointed  ? 

By  the  Queen  of  Great  Britain. 

How  are  the  other  rulers  and  law-makers  appointed  ? 
Some  are  appointed  by  the  Governor-gen- 
eral, others  are  chosen  by  the  people. 


LESSON    XLV. 

MEXICO    AND    CENTKAL    AMEKICA.- 
SUEFACE,  CLIMATE,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Now  we  will  make  a  visit  to  our  neigh- 
bors on  the  south,  who  live  in  Mexico.  The 
Mexicans  are  divided  into  three  classes :  the 
Creoles,  the  mestizos,  and  the  native  Indians. 
The  mestizos  are  the  most  active  of  all.  The 
mechanics,  merchants,  and  soldiers  come  chief- 
ly from  that  class.  But  they  are  very  igno- 
rant, and,  although  active,  are  more  fond  of 
amusement  than  of  work.  They  are  wild  and 
quarrelsome  too,  and  keep  their  government 
in  trouble  almost  all  the  time  by  their  lawless 
conduct. 

Mexico  has  every  possible  kind  of  climate. 
Let  us  take  a  journey  through  a  part  of  this 
country,  and  we  shall  find  out  the  cause  of 
this  variety  of  climate. 

We  will  start  from  the  seaport  of  Vera 
Cruz  [Vay'-ra  Kroos],  on  the  Gulf  of  Mex- 
ico. We  first  cross  a  level  tract  that  extends 
all  along  the  coast,  and  is  from  five  miles  to 
a  hundred  miles  wide.  The  climate  is  here 
very  hot,  as  we  might  expect  it  to  be,  for  it 
is  in  the  Torrid  Zone ;  and  as  we  look  over 
the  fields,  we  see  growing  there  the  products 
of  the  Torrid  Zone,  such  as  cotton,  sugar- 
cane, coffee,  indigo,  bananas,  oranges,  and 
pineapples.  We  also  pass  through  forests 
containing  huge  mahogany -trees,  and  under 
palm-trees  wuth  their  great  fan-like  leaves. 

After  crossing  this  level  tract,  we  come  to 
a  steep  ascent,  like  the  side  of  a  mountain, 
and  we  go  climbing  up  along  the  mule-paths 
— for  there  are  few  roads — until  we  have  as- 
cended fully  a  mile  and  a  half  above  the  sea. 
Then  there  opens  out  before  us  a  vast  pla- 
t€a2(,  or  table -land,  that  stretches  away  over 
all  the  central  part  of  the  country. 


78 


NORTH   AMERICA  :    MEXICO   AND   CENTRAL  AMERICA.— SURFACE,  CLIMATE,  ETC. 


On  this  plateau  most  of  the  Mexicans  hve ; 
and  instead  of  the  hot  chmate  of  the  low- 
lands by  the  coast,  they  have  the  delightful 
climate  of  the  middle  portion  of  the  Temper- 
ate Zone.  It  is  like  that  of  North  Carolina 
and  Tennessee,  except  that  Mexico  has  only 
two  seasons — the  wet  and  the  dry. 

What  causes  this  temperate  climate  in  a 
part  of  the  Torrid  Zone  ?  We  have  already 
learned  that  the  higher  one  goes  above  the 


ORANGE-GROVE. 


level  of  the  ocean,  the  colder  it  becomes. 
So  the  height  of  the  great  Mexican  plateau 
above  the  ocean  is  sufficient  to  change  the 
climate  from  torrid  to  temperate. 

Productions.  —  The  productions,  as  well  as 
the  climate,  are  changed.  The  staple  crops 
of  the  hot  belt  will  not  grow  on  the  plateau ; 
and  on  the  plateau  the  inhabitants  raise  grain, 
vegetables,  and  fruits,  that  will  not  grow  on 
the  coast.  So  it  happens  that  one  can  break- 
fast  in  the  climate   and   on   the  productions 


of  the  Torrid  Zone,  and,  by  climbing  to  the 
plateau,  can  dine  in  the  climate  and  on  the 
productions  of  the  Temperate  Zone. 

An  important  product  of  the  plateau  is 
cochineal,  which  is  made  from  a  little  bug. 
This  bug  feeds  on  a  variety  of  the  cactus — a 
plant  common  in  that  region — and  the  Mexi- 
cans cultivate  that  variety  in  great  quantities. 
The  little  bugs  increase  on  the  plants  until 
the  leaves  are  covered  with  them.  Then  they 
are  brushed  off  into  bags,  killed  in  hot 
water,  and  dried.  Afterwards  they  are 
ground  into  powder,  and  make  the 
beautiful  cochineal  dye. 

When  the  Spaniards  conquered  Mex- 
ico, they  found  that  the  precious  metals 
were  very  abundant.  In  the  temples 
and  palaces,  and  even  in  private  dwell- 
ings, were  vessels  and  ornaments  of 
gold  and  silver.  The  Spaniards  were 
not  long  in  discovering  the  mines  from 
which  these  treasures  had  been  taken. 
They  are  chiefly  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Sierra  Madre  Mountains,  and  are 
among  the  richest  in  the  world.  There 
are  also  rich  mines  of  quicksilver  and 
other  metals.  Of  late  years,  few  of  the 
mines  have  been  worked,  and  but  little 
is  now  obtained  from  them. 

City  of  Mexico.  —  There  are  several 
cities  on  the  plateau,  and  in  the  south- 
ern part  is  the  city  of  Mexico,  the  capi- 
tal of  the  country.  This  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  cities  in  the  world.  It  is  in  a 
valley  in  the  midst  of  gardens  and  orange- 
groves,  that  make  a  lovely  fringe  of  green  all 
around  it.  Farther  off  are  lakes,  .whose  waters 
sparkle  in  the  sunlight ;  while  still  farther  be- 
yond is  a  circle  of  very  loft)^  mountains  whose 
tops  are  always  covered  with  snow. 

Central  America.  —  Between  Mexico  and 
South  America  is  a  country  called  Central 
America.  It  consists  of  small  states,  which 
are  very  often  at  war  with  one  another. 


NORTH   AMERICA:    MEXICO   AND   CENTRAL  AMERICA.— SURFACE,  CLIMATE,   ETC. 


79 


BRINGING    ORES    FROM    THE    MINES. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  said  of  the  climate  of  Mexico  ? 

Mexico  has  every  possible  variety  of  cli- 
mate. 

What  is  the  chief  seaport  of  Mexico  ? 
Vera  Cruz. 

What  is  said  of  the  land  along  the  coast  of  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico .' 

There  is  a  level  strip  from  five  miles  to  a 
hundred  miles  wide,  whose  climate  is  very 
hot. 

Name  some  of  the  productions  of  this  strip  of  land. 
Cotton,  sugar-cane,  coffee,  indigo,  bananas, 
and  pineapples. 


Where  do  most  of  the  Mexicans  live  .' 

On  a  plateau,  or  table-land,  which  has  the 
climate  of  the  middle  part  of  the  Temperate 
Zone. 

Name  some  of  the  productions  of  the  plateau. 
Grain,  vegetables,  fruits,  and  cochineal. 

What  is  said  of  the  mines  of  Mexico  ? 

Its  gold  and  silver  mines  are  among  the 
richest  in  the  world,  although  few  of  them 
are  worked  at  the  present  time.  There  are 
also  valuable  mines  of  quicksilver. 

What  is  said  of  the  city  of  Mexico? 
It   is   one   of  the    most  beautiful   cities  in 
the  world. 

What  country  is  between  Mexico  and  South  America? 

Central  America. 


LESSON    XLVI. 
QUESTIONS  FOE  EEVIEW. 
LTo  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  West  Central  States.  What  is  their  extent  ? 
Describe  their  surface.  Describe  their  climate.  Name  the 
chief  productions.  What  minerals  have  these  states  ?  Name 
the  chief  manufacturing  places.  What  advantages  for  com- 
merce have  these  states  ?     Name  the  chief  commercial  cities. 

Name  the  States  of  the  Plains.  What  is  a  territory  ? 
What  is  the  extent  of  this  belt  of  states  ?  Describe  the  cli- 
mate. Name  the  chief  productions.  Which  are  the  largest 
rivers  ?     Name  the  chief  cities. 

Name  the  divisions  of  the  Western  or  Highland  States. 
For  what  is  the  Rocky  Mountain  Division  remarkable  ? 
What  are  the  chief  productions  ?  Describe  the  climate  of 
the  Basin  Divi.sion.  Why  does  this  division  have  so  little 
rain  ?  Name  the  chief  productions.  Name  the  states  and 
territories  of  the  Pacific  Division.  Describe  the  growth  of 
California.  What  is  said  of  San  Francisco?  Name  other 
important  cities  in  California.  What  natural  curiosities  has 
California  ?  Describe  the  surface  of  this  division.  Name 
the  chief  products. 

How  is  British  America  divided  ?  Describe  its  climate. 
What  advantages  for  commerce  has  British  America?  What 
are  the  chief  products  ?     Name  the  chief  cities. 

Describe  the  climate  of  Mexico.  Why  has  the  plateau  a 
mild  climate  ?  Name  the  chief  productions  of  Mexico.  What 
is  said  of  the  mines  ? 


Lougltude    West    CO      from     Greenwich 


EQU  ATOE 


St-  Roque 


27      Lougltuile    37     East      from    47    ^Washington 


O'J^lJrighty  1877,  L^  JIari'tr  d:  Bruthcr*, 


SOUTH   AMERICA:    SURFACE,  CLIMATE,   ETC. 


81 


SOUTH    AMERICA 


LESSON    XLVII. 
QUESTIONS  ON  THE  MAP. 
[To  be  Recited.] 

What  sea  is  north  of  South  America  ?  What  ocean  is 
east  ?  What  ocean  is  west  ?  What  isthmus  connects  South 
America  with  North  America  ?  What  is  the  most  north- 
ern cape  of  South  America?  What  is  the  most  eastern 
cape  ?  What  is  the  most  southern  cape  ?  What  is  the 
most  western  cape  ?  WHiat  mountains  extend  the  entire 
length  of  the  western  part  of  the  continent  ? 

What  countries  of  South  America  border  on  the  Carib- 
bean Sea?  What  countries  border  on  the  Atlantic  Ocean? 
What  countries  border  on  the  Pacific  Ocean  ?  What  one 
has  no  sea-coast  ?  What  countries  are  crossed  by  the  equa- 
tor ?  What  countries  border  on  Brazil?  What  countries 
are  crossed  by  the  Andes  Mountains  ? 


What  river  is  in  the  northern  part  of  Colombia  ?  In 
what  direction  and  into  what  body  of  water  does  it  flow  ? 
What  is  the  capital  of  Colombia  ?  What  two  seaports  are 
on  the  Isthmus  of  Panama?  What  is  the  capital  of  Ecua- 
dor? What  two  volcanoes  are  in  Ecuador?  What  is  the 
capital  of  Peru  ?  What  is  the  capital  of  Bolivia  ?  What 
lake  is  between  Peru  and  Bolivia  ?  What  city  is  southeast 
of  La  Paz  ?  What  is  the  capital  of  Chili  ?  What  city  is  north- 
west of  Santiago  ?  What  strait  and  what  group  of  islands  are 
south  of  Patagonia  ? 

What  is  the  chief  river  of  the  Argentine  Confederation? 
What  is  the  capital  ?  What  is  the  capital  of  Uruguay  ? 
What  is  the  capital  of  Paraguay?  What  is  the  capital  of 
Brazil  ?  Name  two  other  cities  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Brazil. 
What  large  river  is  in  the  northern  part  of  Brazil  ?  Name 
one  of  its  northern  branches.  Name  one  of  its  southern 
branches.  What  river  is  east  of  the  Amazon  ?  What  isl- 
and is  between  them?  What  are  the  divisions  of  Guiana  ? 
What  is  the  capital  of  each  ?  What  is  the  capital  of  Vene- 
zuela ?  What  large  river  crosses  Venezuela  ?  What  island 
is  northeast  ?     What  gulf  is  north  ? 


LESSON   XLVIII. 
SURFACE,  CLIMATE,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Surface.  —  The  continent  of  North  Ameri- 
ca has  three  systems  of  mountains  extending 
entirely  across  it,  from  north  to  south :  one 
near  the  middle,  and  one  a  little  way  from 
the  coast  on  each  side.  The  continent  of 
South  America  is  quite  different.  It  has  only 
one  great  mountain  system,  which  extends 
along  the  entire  western  coast ;  and  one  of 
its  ranges  is  so  near  the  ocean  that,  in  many 
places,  its  steep  sides  rise  directly  out  of  it. 
This  mountain  system  is  called  the  Andes. 
All  the  rest  of  the  surface,  except  a  few  short, 
low  ranges  of  mountains  in  the  northern  and 
eastern  portions,  is  one  vast  plain. 

22 


The  Andes  are  wonderful  mountains.  Some 
of  their  summits  are  nearly  twice  as  high  as 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  are  among  the 
loftiest  in  the  world.  Many  of  them  are  vol- 
canoes. There  are  more  than  fifty  of  these 
fire -mountains,  some  of  which  are  always 
pouring  out  smoke  and  flame. 

Plateaus  of  the  Andes. — The  space  between 
the  ranges  of  the  Andes  is  a  belt  of  high 
plateaus,  in  some  places  two  miles  above  the 
level  of  the  sea ;  and,  as  in  Mexico,  while  the 
plains  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains  have  the 
hot,  moist,  and  unhealthy  climate  of  the  Tor- 
rid Zone,  on  the  table -lands  the  climate  is 
temperate,  healthful,  and  delightful. 

On  these  table -lands  a  large  part  of  the 
civilized  people  of  South  America  live.  Here 
are  many  great  cities,  the  capitals  of  the  dif- 
ferent countries ;  and  yet  in  this  whole  region 
violent  earthquakes  sometimes  occur  that  do 


82 


SOUTH   AMERICA:    SURFACE,   CLIMATE,  ETC. 


terrible  damage,  shaking  down  houses  and  de- 
stroying many  lives. 

The  sides  of  the  Andes  are  very  steep  ev- 
erywhere, and  are  broken  by  sharp  ridges, 
lofty   peaks,   and    chasms   of  frightful    depth. 


ASCENDING    THE   ANDES. 


The  only  roads  are  narrow  paths  that  cross 
the  chasms  on  rope  bridges,  and  are  some- 
times made  by  cutting  into  the  face  of  the 
solid  rock.  As  the  traveller  goes  along  in 
one    of    these    dangerous    paths,    a    misstep 


would  send  him  down  the  precipice.  The 
only  beasts  of  burden  are  mules  and  llamas. 
There  are  many  roads  where  no  beast  can  go, 
and  travellers  are  carried  in  chairs  which  are 
fastened  to  the  backs  of  the  native  Indians. 

South  America,  unlike  North  America,  has 
only  a  few  rivers.  Nearly  all  of  its  territory 
is  drained  by  three  great  rivers — the  Orinoco, 
the  Amazon,  and  the  La  Plata  [Lah  Plah-ta] 
— which  flow  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  M 

On  the  borders  of  each  of  these  rivers  are 
vast  level  tracts  of  land.  The  tracts  near  the 
Orinoco  have  no  trees,  and  are  called  llanos, 
a  Spanish  word  that  means  level  fields.  Af- 
ter the  rainy  season  they  are  covered  with 
excellent  grass,  that  feeds  immense  herds  of 
cattle  and  horses,  which  are  the  chief  sources 
of  wealth  in  that  region.  By  and  by  they 
become  dry  and  parched ;  the  grass  withers, 
and  is  blown  away ;  and  the  cattle  are  driven 
to  moister  places  near  the  mountains.  Then 
the  wet  season  comes  again ;  torrents  of  rain 
fall  on  the  plains  and  slopes  of  the  Andes, 
and  run  down  and  flood  the  streams ;  and 
the  grass  springs  up,  and  the  cattle  come 
back  to  their  plentiful  food. 

The  plains  of  the  Amazon  are  called  selvas, 
a  Spanish  word  that  means  wooeis,  because 
they  are  covered  with  thick  forests.  The 
Amazon  is  the  largest  river  on  the  globe.  It 
is  150  miles  wide  at  its  mouth,  and  vessels 
can  sail  on  it  nearly  to  the  Andes,  a  distance 
of  3000  miles. 

The  selvas  extend  over  immense  tracts  of 
land,  and,  as  the  air  is  always  hot  and  moist, 
and  the  soil  very  fertile,  all  kinds  of  plants 
that  like  heat  and  moisture  grow  more  plen- 
tifully and  richly  here  than  anywhere  else  in 
the  world.  The  trees  stand  thickly  together, 
and  are  of  enormous  size  and  height ;  flow- 
ering vines  climb  among  their  branches,  and 
hang  in  festoons  between  them  ;  and  under- 
neath is  a  thick  and  tangled  growth  of  canes, 
ferns,  and  vines. 


I 


SOUTH   AMERICA:    COUNTRIES,   PRODUCTIONS,  AND   ANIMALS. 


83 


In  the  rainy  season,  and  when 
the  floods  come  from  the  slopes 
of  the  Andes,  the  selvas  are 
changed  into  a  vast  swamp.  On 
this  account  these  plains  have 
but  few  inhabitants.  Miserable 
Indian  villages,  here  and  there 
on  the  higher  spots,  are  the 
chief  abodes  of  men. 

The  plains  of  the  La  Plata 
are  called  pampas — a  word  that 
vciQ.-A.ViS  plains.  They  are  treeless, 
but  grassy,  and  feed  countless 
herds  of  cattle  and  millions  of 
sheep  and  horses. 


SCENE   ON    THE   AMAZON. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

How  many  mountain  systems  has  South  America  ? 

It  has  only  one  great  mountain  system, 
which  extends  along  the  entire  western 
coast,  and  is  called  the  Andes. 

What  is  the  surface  of  the  rest  of  the  continent  ? 

The  surface  of  the  rest  of  the  continent, 
except  a  few  short,  low  ranges  of  mountains 
in  the  northern  and  eastern  portions,  is  one 
vast  plain. 

What  is  said  of  the  Andes  Mountains  ? 

Some  of  their  summits  are  among  the  high- 
est in  the  world,  and  many  of  them  are  volca- 
noes. 

What  are  the  plateaus  of  the  Andes  ? 

They  are  the  high  tracts  between  the  moun- 
tain ranges. 

What  is  the  climate  of  the  plateaus? 

The  climate  of  the  plateaus  is  temperate 
and  healthful. 

What  is  the  climate  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains  ? 
It  is  hot,  moist,  and  unhealthy. 

How  do  the  people  travel  over  the  Andes  ? 

The  only  beasts  used  in  travelling  are  mules 
and  llamas.  In  some  places  travellers  are  car- 
ried on  the  backs  of  Indians. 


Name  the  three  great  rivers  of  South  America. 

The  Orinoco,  the  Amazon,  and  the  La 
Plata. 

What  are  the  plains  that  border  these  rivers  called  ? 

The  plains  of  the  Orinoco  are  called  llanos, 
those  of  the  Amazon  selvas,  and  those  of  the 
La  Plata  pampas. 

What  use  do  the  people  make  of  them  ? 

The  llanos  and  pampas  feed  immense  herds 
of  cattle  and  horses.  The  selvas  are  so  Avet 
that  they  are  of  little  use. 


LESSON    XLIX. 


SOUTH    AMEEIOA.-COUNTKIES,    PEO- 
DUOTIONS,  AND  ANIMALS. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Andes  Countries. — In  the  region  of  the  An- 
des are  six  countries,  Colombia,  Ecuador  [Ec- 
wa-dore],  Peru,  Bolivia,  Chili,  and  Patagonia. 
Most  of  their  inhabitants  live  on  the  table- 
lands. They  raise  the  grains,  vegetables,  and 
other  products  of  the  Temperate  Zone. 

Besides  these  products,  which  are  common 
to  all  the  Andes  countries,  except  Patagonia, 


84 


SOUTH   AMERICA:    COUNTRIES,  PRODUCTIONS,  AND   ANIMALS. 


Colombia  exports  coffee  and  cotton  from  its 
lowlands  ;  Peru  exports  guano  from  its  isl- 
ands;  Chili,  wheat  and  copper -ore;  and  Bo- 
livia and  Peru,  silver-ore  and  saltpetre. 

Patagonia  is  a  poor,  cold,  rocky  country, 
whose  uncivilized,  half- starved  people  lead 
most  wretched  lives. 

The  capitals  of  these  countries  are  on  the 
high  table-lands.  They  have  ports  down  on 
the  coasts.  The  most  important  are  Guaya- 
quil [Gwi-a-keel'],  in  Ecuador ;  Callao  [Cal- 
lah'-o],  in  Peru  ;  and  Valparaiso  [Val-pa-ri'- 
zo],  in  Chili.  Cuzco  [Cooz'-co]  and  Arequipa 
[Ah-ray-kee'-pa],  in  Peru,  and  Sucre  [Soo'- 
cray]  and  Cochabamba  [Coch-a-bam'-ba],  in 
Bolivia,  are  also  important  cities.  Cuzco  is 
the  oldest  city  in  Peru.  It  was  founded  by 
civilized  Indians  nearly  five  hundred  years  be- 
fore the  discovery  of  America  by  Columbus. 

Countries  of  the  Plains.  —  There  are  six 
countries  on  the  plains  of  South  America, 
named  Venezuela  [Ven-e-zwee'-la],  Guiana 
[Ghe-ah'-na],  Brazil  [Bra-zeel'],  Paraguay 
[Par'-a-gway],  Uruguay  [U'-ru-gway],  and 
the  Argentine  Confederation. 

The  first  three  of  these  countries  —  Vene- 
zuela, Guiana,  and  Brazil  —  which  are  in  the 
Torrid  Zone,  are  among  the  most  fertile  and 
productive  in  the  world.  They  raise  the  well- 
known  products  of  that  zone — coffee,  cotton, 
sugar,  and  the  like  ;  and  in  their  magnifi- 
cent forests  are  the  cocoa-nut  and  other  palm 
trees,  the  caoutchouc  or  india-rubber  tree,  dye- 
woods,  and  a  great  variety  of  beautiful  kinds 
of  wood,  such  as  rosewood  and  mahogany. 
In  addition,  Venezuela  exports  hides  from  the 
herds  on  its  llanos;  Guiana  exports  sugar  and 
spices  ;  and  Brazil,  hides  and  diamonds.  More 
than  half  of  all  the  coffee  used  in  the  world 
comes  from  the  rich  plantations  of  Brazil, 
which  is  a  very  large  and  growing  empire. 

Paraguay  and  Uruguay  are  small  and  un- 
important countries  south  of  Brazil.  The 
Argentine  Confederation,  still   farther  south, 


is  a  prosperous  country.  The  chief  exports 
of  these  countries  are  hides  and  wool  from 
the  herds  and  flocks  on  the  pampas. 

Rio  Janeiro  [Ree'-o  Ja-nay'-ro],  the  capital 
and  chief  seaport  of  Brazil ;  Buenos  Ayres 
[Bo'-nos  Air'-iz],  the  chief  seaport  of  the  Ar- 
gentine Confederation  ;  and  Montevideo,  the 
capital  of  Uruguay,  are  large  and  important 
cities.  Bahia  [Bah-ee'-a],  Pernambuco  [Per- 
nam-boo'-co],  and  Maranham  [Mar-an-ham'J 
are  also  important  commercial  ports  on  the 
eastern  coast  of  Brazil. 

All  the  countries  of  South  America,  ex- 
cept Brazil,  Guiana,  and  Patagonia,  were  con- 
quered and  settled  by  Spaniards.  Brazil  was 
settled  by  Portuguese. 

Animals. — High  up  among  the  peaks  of  the 
Andes  is  the  condor,  a  huge  bird  which  builds 
its  nest  on  some  cliff  that  can  not  be  reached 
by  man,  and  is  strong  enough  to  carry  away  a 
lamb  in  its  talons.     Farther  down  the  moun- 


tains are  the  little  chinchilla,  from  which  the 
costly  fur  of  that  name  is  obtained,  and  the 
alpaca,  from  which  comes  the  wool  of  alpaca 
cloth.  On  the  plateaus  of  the  Andes  is  the 
llama,  an  animal  not  much  larger  than  a  goat, 
and  very  useful  in  carrying  burdens  over  the 
mountains.  The  llamas  are  worked  in  droves, 
hundreds  together,  and  are  so  obedient  that 
they  will  travel  steadily  and  quietly  up  and 
down  the  dangerous  pathways,  one  after  the 
other,  like  a  file  of  soldiers. 

In  the  forests  of  the  Orinoco  and  the 
Amazon  the  number  and  variety  of  creat- 
ures are   truly  wonderful.       Overhead,  thou- 


SOUTH   AMERICA:    COUNTRIES,   PRODUCTIONS,  AND   ANIMALS. 


85 


sands  of  monkeys  chatter  and  play  among 
the  trees,  while  gay-colored  parrots  fly  about 
and  fill  the  air  with  their  harsh  cries.  Per- 
haps that  huge  snake,  the  boa -constrictor, 
may  be  seen  twined  around  a  branch,  wait- 
ing to  strike  its 
prey,  and  crush 
it  in  its  coils. 
Below,  the  small- 
er serpents  glide 
through  the 
leaves,  and  the 
alligator  basks 
on  the  river- 
bank,  while  beau- 
tiful humming- 
birds flit  from 
flower  to  flower. 
At  night,  the 
jaguar,  a  kind 
of  tiger,  prowls 
around  for  prey, 
and  the  hog-like 
tapir  runs  about 
in  search  of  the 
fruit  and  grass 
that  are  its  food. 
Swarms  of  flies 
and  mosquitoes 
hover  over  the 
damp  places ; 
gaudy  butterflies 

flutter  in  and  out  among  the  flowers ;  and 
beetles,  large  and  small,  fly  about,  and  their 
brilliant,  horny  wings  and  bodies  glisten  and 
flash  in  the  light. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

Name  the  Andes  countries. 

They  are  Colombia,  Ecuador,  Peru,  Bolivia, 
Chili  and  Patagonia. 

What  special  articles  do  these  countries  export  ? 
Colombia    exports    coffee,  cocoa,  and    cot- 
23 


ton  ;  Peru,  guano  ;  Chili,  wheat  and  copper- 
ore  ;  and  Peru  and  Bolivia,  saltpetre  and  sil- 
ver-ore. 

Name  the  chief  commercial  cities  of  the  Andes  countries. 
Valparaiso,  Callao,  and  Guayaquil. 

Name  the  countries  of  the  plains. 

Venezuela,  Guiana,  Brazil,  Uruguay,  Para- 
guay, and  the  Argentine  Confederation. 

What  are  the  exports  of  Venezuela,  Guiana,  and  Brazil.' 

The  exports  are  coffee,  cotton,  sugar,  spices, 

caoutchouc,  dye-woods,  and  hides. 

What  are  the  exports  of  the  Argentine  Confederation  } 

Hides  and  wool. 

Name  the  chief  commercial  cities  of  the  countries  of  the 
plains. 

Rio  Janeiro  and  Bahia,  in  Brazil;  Buenos 
Ayres,  in  the  Argentine  Confederation ;  and 
Montevideo,  in  Uruguay. 

Name  some  of  the  animals  of  the  Andes  countries. 

The  condor,  the  alpaca,  the  chinchilla,  and 
the  llama. 

Name  some  of  the  animals  of  the  plains. 

The  jaguar,  the  tapir,  the  boa -constrictor, 
the  alligator,  and  many  kinds  of  birds,  mon- 
keys, reptiles,  and  insects. 


LESSON   L. 

QUESTIONS  FOE  EEVIEW. 
[To  be  Recited.] 

What  can  you  say  of  the  surface  of  South  America  ?  How 
does  the  surface  of  South  America  differ  from  that  of  North 
America  ?  Describe  the  plateaus  of  the  Andes.  What  is  said 
of  the  difficulty  of  travelling  among  the  Andes?  Name  the 
chief  rivers  of  South  America.  Which  of  them  is  the  largest 
river  in  the  world  ?  Describe  the  llanos.  The  selvas.  The 
pampas.     Which  of  these  plains  are  least  useful  ? 

Name  the  Andes  countries.  What  are  their  chief  produc- 
tions ?  Name  the  capital  of  each.  Name  their  chief  conmier- 
cial  cities. 

Name  the  countries  of  the  plains.  What  is  said  of  Vene- 
zuela, Guiana,  and  Brazil  ?  Name  the  chief  exports  of  Para- 
guay, Uruguay,  and  the  Argentine  Confederation.  Name  the 
chief  cities  of  the  countries  of  the  plains.  Name  some  of  the 
animals  of  South  America. 


EUROPE:    QUESTIONS   ON   THE   MAP.— SURFACE,   RIVERS,  ETC. 


87 


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88 


EUROPE:    SURFACE,  RIVERS,  ETC. 


Mountains. — Another  important  fact  to  be 
noticed  is  the  position  of  the  mountains,  which 
is  very  different,  as  you  may  see,  from  that  of 
the  mountains  of  North  America  and  South 
America.  The  latter  extend  in  unbroken 
ranges  nearly  the  entire  length  of  the  conti- 
nent from  north  to  south ;  while  the  chief 
mountains  of  Europe  extend  in  a  broken 
chain  from  east  to  west. 

The  different  parts  of  this  broken  chain 
have  different  names.  Between  France  and 
Spain,  the  mountains  are  called  the  Pyre- 
nees ;  in  Switzerland,  the  Alps ;  in  Austria, 
the  Carpathian  Mountains  ;  and  between  Rus- 
sia and  Asia,  the  Caucasus  Mountains. 

The  Dovrefield  [Dov-re-fe-eld']  Mountains, 
in  Norway ;  the  Ural  Mountains,  in  Russia, 
between  Europe  and  Asia ;  and  the  Apen- 
nines, in  Italy,  are  the  only  other  mountains 
of  much  importance. 

The  Alps,  in  Switzerland,  are  very  celebrat- 
ed. Their  scenery  is  thought  to  be  finer  than 
any  other  in  the  world  :  for  their  lofty  peaks 
are  always  covered  with  snow  ;  while  the  val- 
leys between  them  are  green  and  lovely,  with 
pretty  villages  in  them  here  and  there ;  and 
there  are  beautiful  lakes  that  reflect  in  their 
clear  water  the  tall,  white  summits  around 
them. 

Rivers. — There  are  no  great  river  systems 
in  Europe.  The  Volga,  in  Russia,  is  the 
longest  river.  It  is  two  thousand  miles  long, 
but  has  few  great  branches.  The  Danube, 
which  flows  through  Austria  and  Roumania 
into  the  Black  Sea,  is  next  in  size  ;  and  a  great 
deal  of  commerce  is  carried  on  by  its  means. 
The  Po,  in  Italy ;  the  Rhine,  in  Germany  and 
the  Netherlands ;  and  the  Rhone,  in  France, 
are  also  important  navigable  rivers. 

Climate.— One  of  the  most  remarkable  thines 
about  Europe  is  its  climate ;  for  parts  of  it  are 
a  great  deal  warmer  than  we  might  expect 
them  to  be.  Thus  England  and  the  Nether- 
lands are  as  far  north  as  icy  and  barren  Lab- 


rador on  our  own  continent,  yet  they  have  a 
mild  and  delightful  climate  ;  while  the  por- 
tions that  border  on  the  Mediterranean  Sea, 
although  in  the  midst  of  the  Temperate  Zone, 
have  almost  the  climate  of  the  Torrid  Zone. 
How  does  this  happen  ? 

We  remember  how  the  Gulf  Stream  comes 
out  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and,  passing  up  the 
coast  of  the  United  States,  sweeps  across  the 
ocean,  and  bathes  the  shores  of  Europe.  This 
wonderful  current,  and  the  warm  winds  from 
the  Atlantic,  make  the  climate  of  Great  Brit- 
ain and  Ireland,  and  of  the  coast  of  the  main- 
land, warm  and  pleasant. 

What  gives  the  countries  on  the  Mediter- 
Vanean  Sea  such  a  delightful  climate  ?  In  the 
northern  part  of  Africa,  in  the  Torrid  Zone, 
is  a  vast  sandy  desert.      The  winds,  as  they 


»  7  BOAR.  ,k.// 

M 


EUROPE:    THE   KINGDOM   OF   GREAT   BRITAIN   AND   IRELAND. 


89 


blow  across  this  desert,  arc  hcatecj  by  the 
hot  sands,  and  passing  over  the  Mediterrane- 
an Sea,  keep  the  countries  around  it  warm. 
Then,  again,  the  high  Alps  turn  away  the  cold 
winds  that  blow  from  the  north. 

Animals. — In  the  cold  northern  part  of  Eu- 
rope, where  the  Laplander  lives,  is  the  rein- 
deer, which  draws  his  sledge,  gives  him  milk, 
and  furnishes  most  of  his  clothing.  In  the 
vast  forests  of  Russia  are  great  numbers  of 
wolves,  which  are  very  fierce  and  dangerous. 
In  the  forests  of  Germany  and  France  there 
were  once  many  black  bears  and  wild  boars ; 
but  they  are  fast  disappearing.  The  most  re- 
markable among  the  birds  of  this  continent 
is  the  lammergeyer,  or  bearded  vulture,  a  bird 
somewhat  like  the  American  eagle.  It  is 
found  among  the  lofty  peaks  of  the  Alps. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

How  does  Europe  compare  with  the  other  continents  in 
size  ? 

It  is  one  of  the  smallest  of  the  continents. 

Why  is  it  the  most  important  of  all  the  continents  ? 

Because  it  contains  more  rich  and  power- 
ful nations  and  more  civilized  and  educated 
people  than  any  other  continent. 

What  is  the  shape  of  Europe  ? 

Europe  is  very  irregular  in  shape. 

What  is  the  position  of  the  chief  mountains  of  Europe  ? 
They  are   in  a  broken   chain   running  east 
and  west. 

Name  the  principal  mountains  of  Europe. 
The    Pyrenees,   the    Alps,  the    Carpathian 
Mountains,  and  the  Caucasus  Mountains. 

Which  are  the  chief  navigable  rivers  ? 
The  Volga,  the  Danube,  the  Po,  the  Rhine, 
and  the  Rhone. 

What  is  remarkable  about  the  climate  of  Europe  ? 
Some  parts  of  Europe  are  much  warmer  than 
corresponding  portions  of  our  own  continent. 


What  causes  the  mild  climate  of  western  Europe  ? 
It  is  caused  by  the  Gulf  Stream,  and  by  the 
warm  winds  from  the  Atlantic. 

What  causes  the  warm  climate  of  southern  Europe  ? 

It  is  caused,  in  part,  by  the  Desert  of  Sa- 
hara, which  heats  the  winds  that  blow  from 
the  south  ;  and,  in  part,  by  the  Alps,  which 
turn  away  the  cold  winds  from  the  north. 

Name  some  of  the  animals  of  Europe. 
The  reindeer,  the  wolf,  the  black  bear,  the 
wild  boar,  and  the  lammergeyer. 


LESSON    Lin. 


THE  KINGDOM  OF  GEEAT  BRITAIN 
AND  IRELAND. 
[To  be  Read.] 

The  "  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland  "  is  one  of  the  most  important 
countries  in  the  world.  The  title  commonly 
given  it  is  "  Great  Britain."  It  includes  Eng- 
land, Scotland,  Wales,  and  Ireland. 

The  British  are  a  very  remarkable  people. 
Once  they  owned  only  the  British  Isles  — 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  Now  they  have 
possessions  in  every  part  of  the  world,  and  are 
rulers  over  a  great  many  millions  of  people. 
They  own  nearly  one  half  of  North  America ; 
British  Guiana,  in  South  America ;  British 
India,  with  its  millions  of  inhabitants,  in  Asia; 
several  colonies  on  the  coast  of  Africa  ;  and 
the  whole  of  the  continent  of  Australia.  In 
addition,  they  own  a  large  number  of  valuable 
islands  in  different  parts  of  the  world.  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland,  together  with  these  vast 
possessions,  form  the  British  Empire,  which  is 
the  most  extensive  on  the  globe. 

The  British  people  are  crowded  very  close- 
ly together  in  their  island  home.  Great  Brit- 
ain and  Ireland  contain  thirty  millions  of  in- 


90 


EUROPE:    THE  KINGDOM   OF   GREAT   BRITAIN   AND   IRELAND. 


habitants,  yet  they  are  less  in  size  than  the 
State  of  CaHfornia. 

The  people  of  Great  Britain  have  not  only 
been  brave  and  bold  in  enlarging  their  domin- 
ions, but  they  have  also  been  wonderfully  in- 
genious in  inventing  machinery  and  in  man- 
ufacturing a  great  variety  of  goods.  They 
manufacture  great  quantities  of  Jiardtvare  in 


SCENE   IN    LONDON. 


Birmingham;  cutlery  —  that  is,  knives,  forks, 
and  sharp-edged  tools — in  Sheffield ;  zvoollen 
goods  in  Leeds ;  cotton  goods  in  Manchester 
and  Glasgow  ;  and  lincji  goads  in  Belfast ;  and 
wherever  their  manufactories  are  situated 
there,  of  course,  are  a  great  many  people.  In 
this  way  large  cities  and  towns  have  grown 
up  all  over  Great  Britain. 


The  largest  commercial  ports  are  London, 
on  the  river  Thames,  Liverpool,  and  Glasgow. 

London,  the  capital  of  the  vast  British 
Empire,  contains  between  three  and  four 
millions  of  inhabitants,  and  is  the  largest  and 
richest  city  in  the  world. 

Great  Britain  has  mines  of  coal,  which  sup- 
ply the  people  with  most  of  their  fuel.  It 
has  also  mines  of  iron,  tin,  copper,  and  other 
metals.  Out  of  its  iron  are  built  many  noble 
ships.  On  the  banks  of  a  single  river  in  Scot- 
land— the  Clyde — there  are  no  less  than  forty 
tJiousand  men  engaged  in  ship-building. 

Many  of  the  people  are  occupied  in  ag- 
riculture. The  climate  of  England  is  moist 
as  well  as  mild,  and  the  country  everywhere 
looks  like  a  garden,  it  is  so  carefully  and  thor- 
oughly cultivated.  Excellent  crops  of  grain, 
vegetables,  and  grass,  and  fine  cattle,  horses, 
and  sheep  are  raised.  The  chief  business  of 
Ireland  and  of  the  lowlands  in  Scotland  is 
farming.  The  fields  of  Ireland  look  so  green 
and  beautiful  that  that  island  is  often  called 
the  "  Emerald  Isle." 

The  chief  ruler  of  Great  Britain  is  usually  a 
king.  At  present  Queen  Victoria  is  its  chief 
ruler. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ire- 
land commonly  called  ? 

Great  Britain. 

What  does  it  include  ? 

England,  Scotland,  Wales,  and  Ireland. 

What  does  the  British  Empire  include  ? 

It  includes  Great  Britain  and  Ireland;  the 
northern  part  of  North  America;  English 
Guiana,  in  South  America  ;  British  India,  in 
Asia  ;  several  colonies  in  Africa ;  the  whole 
of  Australia;  and  many  islands  in  various 
parts  of  the  world. 

What  are  some  of  the  most  noted  manufacturing  cities  ? 

Birmingham,  Sheffield,  Leeds,  Manchester, 
Glasgow,  and  Belfast. 


EUROPE:    FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AUSTRIA,  AND   RUSSIA. 


91 


What  are  the  chief  commercial  ports  ? 

The  chief  commercial  ports  are  London, 
Liverpool,  and  Glasgow. 

What  is  said  of  London  ? 

It  is  the  capital  of  the  British  Empire,  and 
the  largest  and  richest  city  in  the  world. 

What  mines  has  Great  Britain  ? 

It  has  mines  of  coal,  iron,  tin,  and  copper. 

What  is  said  of  agriculture  ? 

England  is  like  a  garden,  it  is  cultivated  so 
highly.  Grain,  vegetables,  and  grass,  and  fine 
cattle,  sheep,  and  horses  are  raised. 


LESSON    LIV. 

FEAKCE,  aERMANY,  AUSTEIA,  AND 

EUSSIA. 
[To  be  Read.] 

France. — The  principal  occupations  of  the 
people  of  France  are  agriculture  and  man- 
ufacturing. The  surface  of  this  country  is 
made  up  of  hills,  valleys,  and  plains,  and  most 
of  the  soil  is  very  fertile. 
Grain  and  root-crops  are 
raised  in  the  northern 
part,  and  olives,  oranges, 
and  mulberry  -  trees,  on 
which  silk-worms  feed,  in 
the  southern  part.  But 
the  most  important 
branch  of  agriculture  is 
the  cultivation  of  the 
vine,  which  forms  the 
chief  occupation  of  the 
people  of  central  France. 

A  large  part  of  this 
section  of  the  country  is 
occupied  with  vineyards. 
The  vines  are  not  culti- 
vated on  high  trellises,  as 


they  generally  are  in  the  United  States,  but 
in  rows  in  the  open  fields.  They  arc  tied  to 
stakes,  which  are  from  six  to  eight  feet  high. 
The  peasants  have  a  merry  time  at  the  vin- 
tage— that  is,  when  the  ripe  grapes,  hanging  in 
beautiful  clusters,  are  gathered,  and  the  wine 
is  made  from  them. 

The  French  manufacture  gloves,  jewelry, 
laces,  silks,  furniture,  and  many  other  beauti- 
ful things. 

The  French  people  are  very  proud  of  Paris, 
their  capital.  It  is  one  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful and  charming  cities  in  the  world.  Paris, 
Havre,  Lyons,  and  Marseilles  are  the  chief 
commercial  cities  of  France. 

Germany. — In  the  centre  of  Europe  is  the 
powerful  German  Empire.  It  is  formed  by 
the  union  of  several  different  kingdoms,  each 
of  which  still  has  its  own  king  and  separate 
government.  The  largest  of  these  kingdoms 
is  Prussia:  the  King  of  Prussia  is  the  German 
Emperor ;  and  Berlin,  the  capital  of  Prussia, 
is  the  capital  of  the  German  Empire.  Ham- 
burg, Breslau,  Dresden,  and  Munich  are,  next 
to  Berlin,  the  largest  cities. 

Germany  is  famous  for  its  attention  to  ed- 


SCENE   ON    THE   SEINE,    PARIS. 


92 


EUROPE:    FRANCE,  GERMANY,  AUSTRIA,  AND   RUSSIA. 


is  mountainous;  but  there  are  many  fer- 
tile plains  and  valleys.  Its  chief  prod- 
ucts are  wheat,  wool,  wine,  and  salt. 

Its  capital,  Vienna,  a  fine,  large  city, 
is  on  the  river  Danube,  which  is  the 
chief  river  of  Austria,  and  is  very  useful 
to  the  commerce  of  the  empire.  Prague 
and  Pesth  are  its  next  largest  cities. 

Russia. — East  of  Germany  and  Austria 
is  Russia,  which  is  the  largest  country  in 
Europe.  It  occupies  more  than  half  of 
the  entire  continent.  Much  of  it  is  too 
cold  for  agriculture,  and  the  greater  part 
is  covered  with  forests.  But  there  are 
many  millions  of  inhabitants,  and  much 
grain,  wool,  and  hemp  are  exported.  The 
forests  yield  vast  quantities  of  lumber. 

St.  Petersburg,  the  capital,  is  a  splen- 
did city,  but  it  is  situated  so  far  north 
that  it  has  a  very  cold  climate.  Mos- 
cow and  Warsaw  are  large  cities  ;  and 
Odessa  is  an  important  grain  port  on  the 
Black  Sea. 


CASTLE    IN    GERMANY. 


ucation.  It  has  many  excellent  universities 
and  schools.  The  Germans  are  also  skilled 
in  music. 

The  soil  of  the  empire  is  generally  fertile. 
The  grains  that  belong  to  the  Temperate 
Zone  are  raised  in  abundance,  and  also 
grapes,  from  which  large  quantities  of  wine 
are  made.  There  are  also  mines,  from  which 
much  zinc  and  other  metals  are  obtained. 

Its  largest  river,  the  Rhine,  is  very  celebrat- 
ed on  account  of  the  many  battles  that  have 
been  fought  near  it,  and  because  the  region 
through  which  it  flows  abounds  in  beautiful 
scenery.  The  old  castles  on  its  banks  are 
objects  of  much  interest  to  travellers. 

Austria. — Southeast  of  Germany  is  anoth- 
er great  empire,  called  Austria.      Much  of  it 


[To  be  Recited.]  ^ 

What   are    the    principal    occupations   of  the    people    of 
France  ? 

Agriculture  and  manufacturing. 

What  are  some  of  the  manufactures  of  France  ? 
Silks,  laces,  gloves,  jewelry,  furniture,  and 
wine. 


ARKS   ON    THE   DANUBE. 


EUROPE:    THE   REMAINING  COUNTRIES. 


93 


What  is  said  of  Paris  ? 

It  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  charming 
cities  in  the  world. 

What  are  the  chief  commer-        ===, 
cial  cities  of  France  ?  y^ 

Paris,   Havre,   Lyons, 

and  Marseilles. 

Of  what  does  the  German 
Empire  consist  ? 

It  consists  of  several 
kingdoms     and     other  - 
states,  of  which  Prussia  ^^  --     ^^^r 
is  the  largest. 

Name  the  five  largest  cities    '.^^ 
of  Germany.  ^^ 

Berlin,  Hamburg,Bres-       " 
lau,   Dresden,  and    Mu- 
nich. 

What  are  the  chief  products  of  Germany  ? 
Grain,  wine,  and  zinc. 

What  are  the  chief  products  of  Austria .' 

Its  chief  products  are  wheat,  wool,  wine, 
and  salt. 

Name  the  three  largest  cities  of  Austria. 

Vienna,  Prague,  and  Pesth. 

What  are  the  chief  products  of  Russia  ? 

Grain,  wool,  hemp,  and  lumber. 

Name  the  four  largest  cities  in  Russia. 

St.  Petersburg,  Moscow,  Odessa,  and  War- 
saw. 


SCENE   ON    THK   COAST   OF   NORWAY. 


LESSON    LV. 


THE   REMAINING   COUNTRIES    OF 

EUROPE. 
[To  be  Read.] 

The  countries  of  Europe  about  which  we 
have  been  studying  —  Great  Britain,  France, 
Germany,  Austria,  and  Russia — are  called  the 
"  Five  Great  Powers,"  they  are  so  large  and 
powerful.      Now    we    will    study    about    the 


smaller  countries  of  Europe,  beginning  with 
those  in  the  northern  part. 

Norway  and  Sweden.— These  two  countries 
occupy  what  is  called  the  Scandinavian  Pen- 
insula. They  are  separate  kingdoms,  but  have 
the  same  king. 

The  climate  is  cold,  and  the  surface  moun- 
tainous ;  the  inhabitants  are  engaged  in  fish- 
ing, mining,  and  agriculture.  The  iron  from 
the  mines  of  Sweden  is  the  best  in  the  world. 

Denmark.— This  little  kingdom  is  situated 
on  a  peninsula  that  lies  between  Sweden  and 
the  North  Sea,  and  on  some  neighboring  isl- 
ands. The  people,  who  are  called  Danes,  are 
chiefly  occupied  in  agriculture  and  fishing. 

Netherlands.  —  A  large  part  of  this  coun- 
try was  once  under  the  sea.  Great  banks  of 
earth,  called  dikes,  have  been  thrown  up  by 
the  sides  of  the  rivers  and  along  the  bor- 
ders of  the  ocean,  and  thus  the  water  is  kept 
out.  When  the  tides  are  high,  the  water  is 
higher  than  the  houses;  and  if  a  dike  should 
break  away,  a  whole  region  would  be  over- 
flowed. 


94 


EUROPE:    THE   REMAINING   COUNTRIES. 


The  land  is  very  fertile,  and  the  farm  prod- 
ucts are  abundant.  The  Netherlands  own 
valuable  islands  in  the  East  and  West  Indies, 
and  employ  many  ships  in  commerce. 

Belgium.  —  This  is  another  little  kingdom, 
full  of  busy  people.  Its  manufactures  are 
varied  and  excellent.  Here  are  made  the  del- 
icate laces  and  the  fine  linens  that  are  known 
all  over  the  world. 

Spain  and  Portugal. — These  two  kingdoms 
are  side  by  side  on  a  large  peninsula  south 
of  the  Pyrenees  Mountains.  Their  principal 
exports  are  silks,  wool,  olive -oil,  cork,  wine, 
and  fruits. 

Spain  was  once  the  most  powerful  nation 
in  Europe.     Now  it  is  poor  and  weak. 

Italy. — South  of  the  Alps  is  the  peninsula 
of  Italy.  This  is  one  of  the  most  famous 
countries  in  the  world ;  for  here  the  ancient 
Romans  lived.  Here  was  ancient  Rome, 
their  magnificent  capital.  Modern  Rome  has 
been  built  on  its  ruins. 


BAY    OF   NAl'LES. 


In  Italy,  too,  is  the  remarkable  city  of 
Venice,  that  is  built  on  many  small  islands ; 
so  that  the  people  have  canals  instead  of 
streets,  and  boats,  called  gondolas,  instead  of 
carriages  and  horses. 

Here,  near  the  city  of  Naples,  is  Mount 
Vesuvius,  a  volcano  that  often  pours  forth 
flames,  melted  rocks,  and  ashes  from  its  sum- 


mit. Nearly  two  thousand  years  ago,  it 
buried  two  splendid  cities  —  Herculaneum 
[Her-cu-hi-ne-um]  and  Pompeii  [Pom-pa-yee] 
— deep  under  a  storm  of  ashes,  and  destroyed 
their  inhabitants. 

Other  important  cities  are  Milan  and  Tu- 
rin, noted  for  their  manufacture  of  silk  ;  Pa- 
lermo, a  great  fruit -market  in  Sicily;  Flor- 
ence, celebrated  for  its  works  of  art ;  and  Gen- 
oa [Gen'-o-a],  the  birthplace  of  Columbus. 

The  chief  products  of  Italy  are  rice,  wheat, 
olive-oil,  fruits,  and  silk.  In  the  northern  part 
are  many  groves  of  mulberry-trees. 

The  two  large  islands — Sardinia  and  Sicily 
— belong  to  Italy. 

Switzerland.  —  We  have  already  learned 
about  the  scenery  of  this  little  country  which 
lies  among  the  Alps.  The  people  are  tem- 
perate and  industrious.  On  the  plains  and 
in  the  valleys  between  the  mountains  are  fine 
pastures,  where  many  cattle  are  raised ;  and 
butter  and  cheese  are  the  chief  agricultural 

products.     A  great  num- 
^^#=  ber  of  watches  are  made 

in  Switzerland  ;  and  in 
the  winter  many  of  the 
peasants  employ  them- 
selves in  making  toys 
for  sale.  Many  of  the 
toys  which  we  see  in 
this  country  are  brought 
from  Switzerland. 

Turkey.  —  The  Turks, 
form    only  a   small   part 
^^  of  the  population  of  Tur- 

key. They  came  into 
Europe  from  Asia,  several  centuries  ago,  and 
conquered  and  took  possession  of  the  country 
which  they  now  occupy.  Most  of  the  people 
are  poor  and  miserable. 

The  chief  exports  of  Turkey  are  tobacco, 
wine,  olive-oil,  fruits,  silk,  and  carpets. 

Roumania,  Servia,  and  Montenegro.— These 
three  countries  until  recently  belonged  to  Tur- 


EUROPE:    THE   REMAINING   COUNTRIES. 


95 


key.    They  are  now  independent.    Their  chief 
products  are  similar  to  those  of  Turkey. 

Greece. — The  history  of  this  country  begins 
with  the  story  of  the  famous  old  Greeks,  who 
were  not  only  very  brave,  but  were  very  fond 
of  beautiful  things.  In  Athens,  their  chief 
city,  they  built  temples  and  palaces  that  have 
been  imitated  by  all  civilized  nations ;  and 
they  ornamented  them  with  pictures  and  stat- 
ues of  such  beauty  that  the  world  has  never 
elsewhere  seen  the  like.  This  once  famous 
country  is  now  weak  and  unimportant. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  said  of  Norway  and  Sweden  ? 

They  occupy  what  is  called  the  Scandina- 
vian Peninsula. 

What  are  the  chief  occupations  of  the  people  ? 

Mining,  fishing,  and  agriculture. 

What  mines  are  there  in  Sweden? 

There  are  iron  mines,  and  the  iron  is  the 
best  in  the  world. 

What  are  the  chief  occupations  of  the  people  of  Den- 
mark ? 

Agriculture  and  fishing. 

What  can  you  tell  about  the  Netherlands  ? 

Much  of  the  land  is  lower  than  the  surface 
of  the  ocean,  and  is  protected  from  the  water 
by  banks  of  earth,  called  dikes. 

For  what  are  the  Netherlands  noted  ? 

They  are  noted  for  their  commerce. 

For  what  is  Belgium  noted  ? 
It  is  noted  for  its  fine  manufactures. 
What  are  the  chief  exports  of  Spain  and  Portugal  ? 
Wool,  olive-oil,  wine,  and  fruits. 

Name  five  cities  in  Italy. 

Rom.e,  Naples,  Milan,  Genoa,  and  Venice. 
What  are  the  chief  products  of  Italy  ? 
The  chief  products  are   rice,  wheat,  olive- 
oil,  fruits,  and  silk. 

What  are  the  chief  products  of  Switzerland  ? 

Butter,  cheese,  watches,  and  toys.     . 
25 


What  are  the  chief  exports  of  Turkey  ? 
Tobacco,  wine,  fruits,  silk,  and  carpets. 

What  is  the  condition  of  Greece  ? 

This  once  famous  country  is  now  weak  and 
unimportant. 


LESSON    LVI. 

QUESTIONS  FOR  EEVIEW. 
[To  be  Recited.] 

How  does  F.nrope  compare  with  the  other  continents  ? 
What  is  said  of  its  shape  ?  Name  its  five  great  peninsulas. 
What  is  said  of  the  position  of  the  mountains  of  Europe? 
Name  the  principal  mountains.  What  is  said  of  the  Alps  ? 
What  is  said  of  the  rivers  of  Europe  ?  What  is  said  of  the 
climate?  Why  is  the  climate  of  the  British  Isles  warmer 
than  that  of  Labrador  ?  Why  have  the  countries  in  the 
southern  part  of  Europe  a  mild  climate  ?  Name  the  prin- 
cipal animals  of  Europe. 

What  does  the  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland 
include  ?  What  does  the  British  Empire  include  ?  What 
are  the  principal  manufactures  ?  Name  the  chief  manufact- 
uring places.  Name  the  chief  commercial  ports.  What  is 
said  of  London?  What  mines  has  Great  Britain?  What 
is  said  of  ship-building  on  the  Clyde  ?  What  is  said  of  agri- 
culture ?  What  are  the  principal  occupations  of  the  people 
of  Great  Britain  ? 

What  are  the  two  principal  occupations  of  the  people 
of  France  ?  What  is  said  of  the  surface  of  France  ?  Name 
the  chief  agricultural  products.  Name  some  of  the  manu- 
factures. Name  the  most  important  cities.  What  is  said  of 
Paris  ? 

Where  is  the  German  Empire  ?  Of  what  does  it  consist  ? 
Which  is  the  largest  kingdom  ?  Who  is  the  German  Emper- 
or ?  What  is  said  of  Berlin  ?  Name  the  five  largest  cities 
in  Germany.  What  are  the  chief  products  of  Germany  ?  For 
what  is  Germany  famous  ? 

Describe  the  surface  of  Austria.  What  are  the  chief  prod- 
ucts ?  Name  the  three  largest  cities.  Which  is  the  chief 
river  ?  Which  is  the  largest  country  of  Europe  ?  How  large 
is  it?  With  what  is  a  great  part  of  Russia  covered?  What 
are  the  chief  products  ?  Name  the  four  most  important 
cities. 

Name  the  "  Five  Great  Powers  "  of  Europe.  Name  the 
remaining  countries  of  Europe.  Which  of  these  countries 
are  peninsulas  ?  What  are  the  chief  occupations  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Norway  and  Sweden  ?  What  peninsula  do  these  two 
countries  occupy?  Where  is  Denmark?  Wh'at  are  the  in- 
habitants called  ?  What  is  said  of  the  Netherlands  ?  What 
is  said  of  Spain  ?  What  is  said  of  Italy  ?  Of  Venice  ?  Of 
Mount  Vesuvius?  Name  the  chief  cities.  What  two  large 
islands  in  the  Mediterranean  Sea  belong  to  Italy  ?  For  what 
is  Switzerland  noted?  What  is  said  of  the  Turks?  What 
is  said  of  the  ancient  Greeks  ? 


Coi-vrijhl,  1S77,  bv  Uari'tr  ^t  -Broihen 


ASIA:    QUESTIONS    ON   THE   MAP.-POPULATION,   SURFACE,  ETC. 


97 


ASIA. 


LESSON    LVII. 
QUESTIONS  ON  THE  MAP. 
[To  be  Recited.] 

What  ocean  is  north  of  Asia  ?  What  ocean  is  east  ? 
What  one  is  south  ?  What  two  continents  are  west  ?  What 
strait  separates  Asia  from  North  America?  What  isthmus 
connects  Asia  with  Africa  ?  What  two  ranges  of  mountains 
form  part  of  the  boundary  between  Asia  and  Europe  ?  What 
two  seas  and  what  river  are  between  Asia  and  Europe  ? 
What  six  seas  are  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Asia  ?  What  bay 
and  what  sea  are  on  the  southern  coast  ?  What  sea  is  be- 
tween Asia  and  Africa  ? 

What  large  country  occupies  the  northern  part  of  Asia  ? 
What  province  is  in  the  northern  part  of  Asiatic  Russia  ? 
Name  three  rivers  in  Siberia  that  flow  into  the  Arctic  Ocean. 
What  city  is  in  the  southern  part  of  Siberia  ?  What  province 
is  between  the  Caspian  Sea  and  the  Black  Sea  ?  What  city 
does  it  contain  ?  What  province  is  in  the  southwestern  part 
of  Asiatic  Russia  ?  Name  two  cities  in  Russian  Turkestan. 
What  great  empire  is  south  of  Asiatic  Russia  ?  What  range 
of  mountains  is  between  them.''     What  is  the  capital  of  the 


Chinese  Empire  >  In  what  part  of  the  Chinese  Empire  is 
China  ?  Name  two  rivers  in  China.  What  city  is  in  the 
southern  part  ?  What  city  is  on  the  eastern  coast  ?  What 
city  is  nearly  west  of  Shanghai  ? 

What  empire  is  east  of  the  Chinese  Empire?  Of  what 
does  this  empire  consist  ?  (/(  consists  of  islands.)  Which  of 
them  is  the  largest  ?  What  is  the  capital  of  Japan  ?  What 
seaport  is  southwest  of  Tokio  [T6-ki-o]  ? 

What  country  is  south  of  the  Chinese  Empire  ?  What 
city  is  south  of  Malay  Peninsula  ?  What  city  is  on  the  Gulf 
of  Siam  ?  What  country  is  southwest  of  the  Chinese  Empire  ? 
What  mountains  are  between  the  Chinese  Empire  and  British 
India?  What  two  rivers  are  in  the  eastern  part  of  Hindos- 
tan  ?  What  one  is  in  the  western  part  ?  What  is  the  capi- 
tal of  British  India  ?  What  city  is  on  the  eastern  coast  of 
Hindostan  ?  What  city  is  on  the  western  coast  ?  What  large 
island  is  near  the  southeastern  coast  ? 

What  two  countries  are  west  of  British  India  ?  What  is 
the  capital  of  each  ?  What  country  is  south  of  the  Caspian 
Sea  ?  What  is  its  capital  ?  Name  one  other  city  of  Persia. 
What  two  countries  are  west  of  Persia  ?  What  gulf  is  be- 
tween Persia  and  Arabia  ?  What  seaport  is  in  the  eastern 
part  of  Arabia  ?  What  city  is  in  the  central  part?  What 
city  is  on  the  Red  Sea  ?  What  two  rivers  are  in  Turkey  ? 
What  two  cities  are  on  the  west  coast  of  Turkey  ?  On  what 
sea  are  they  ?     What  two  cities  are  southeast  of  Beirut  ? 


LESSON    LVIII. 
POPULATION,  SURFACE,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

We  are  getting  far  away  from  home  in  our 
study,  for  we  have  reached  the  continent  of 
Asia,  which  is  on  the  side  of  the  world  op- 
posite to  that  on  which  we  Hve. 

Asia  is  remarkable  in  many  ways.  In  the 
first  place,  nearly  all  the  nations  of  the  world 
that  have  been  celebrated  for  great  deeds 
sprung  from  the  people  of  that  continent. 
The  forefathers  of  the  ancient  Greeks  and 
Romans,  and  of  the  English,  French,  Ger- 
mans, and  Americans  of  the  present  day,  all 
came  from  Asia. 

Population. — A  second  remarkable  fact  is, 
26 


that  while  most  of  the  countries  of  Asia  have 
only  a  thin  and  scattered  population,  nearly 
one  half  of  the  whole  human  race  is  crowded 
into  the  southeastern  part.  In  British  India, 
Indo-China,  Japan,  and  the  eastern  half  of  the 
Chinese  Empire,  there  are  between  seven  and 
eight  hundred  millions  of  inhabitants ;  and 
there  are  not  many  more  than  that  in  all  the 
world  besides. 

Another  fact  worth  remembering  is,  that 
all  the  domestic  animals — the  horse,  the  cow, 
the  sheep,  the  goat,  the  hog,  and  the  "  barn- 
yard fowls,"  so  necessary  to  the  comfort  of 
people  everywhere — came,  at  first,  from  Asia. 

Surface. — Most  of  the  northern  part  of  Asia, 
called  Asiatic  Russia,  is  a  vast  level  tract, 
whose  climate  is  intensely  cold.  Through  the 
centre  of  Asia,  from  east  to  west,  runs  a  great 


08 


ASIA  :    ASIATIC    RUSSIA,  CHINA,  AND   JAPAN. 


mountain  system,  and  among  the  mountains 
the  winters  are  very  severe,  but  the  summers 
are  hot  and  dry.  South  and  east  of  the 
mountains  are  the  hot  and  level  tracts  and 
the  peninsulas,  where  so  many  people  live. 

The  Himalaya  [Him-a-li'  a]  Mountains,  a 
chain  of  the  central  mountain  system,  are  the 
highest  in  the  world.  Some  of  their  peaks  are 
about  five  miles  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

There  are  vast  deserts  in  the  western  and 
central  parts  of  the  continent. 


^f^^])ji 


Animals. — In  the  cold  northern  parts  of 
Asia  is  the  reindeer.  Farther  south  are  the 
sable  and  the  ermine,  little  animals  whose  fur 
is  very  valuable.  Still  farther  south  are  the 
camel,  and  the  cashmere  goat,  of  whose  beau- 
tiful silky  hair  the  fine  cashmere  shawls  are 


made.  In  the  hot  southern  parts  we  find  the 
camel,  the  elephant,  and  the  hard-skinned  rhi- 
noceros. There  are  many  ferocious  tigers, 
too,  which  are  destructive  foes  of  the  natives  ; 
deadly  serpents  twine  among  the  branches  of 
the  trees,  or  creep  among  the  bushes ;  and  in 
the  rivers  are  many  crocodiles. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  said  of  the  surface  of  Asia  ? 

The  northern  part  is  very  level ;  across  the 
centre  is  a  vast  mountain  system,  and  south 
of  the  mountains  are  peninsulas  and  hot,  lev- 
el tracts. 

What  is  said  of  the  Himalaya  Mountains  ? 
They    are    the    highest    mountains    in    the 
world. 

What  can  you  tell  about  the  climate  of  Asia? 

It  is  very  cold  in  the  northern  part.  Among 
the  mountains,  in  the  central  part,  it  is  cold  in 
winter,  and  hot  and  dry  in  summer ;  in  the 
southeastern  part  it  is  hot  and  moist  ;  and  in 
the  southwestern  part  it  is  hot  and  dry. 

Name  some  of  the  animals  of  Asia. 

The  camel,  the  cashmere  goat,  the  elephant, 
the  rhinoceros,  the  tiger,  and  the  crocodile. 


LESSON    LIX. 


ASIATIC  EUSSIA,  CHINA,  AND  JAPAN. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Asiatic  Russia. — The  northern  part  of  this 
country  has  a  very  cold  climate,  and  its  in- 
habitants, who  can  raise  little  or  nothing  in 
their  frozen  fields,  live  principally  on  fish  and 
the  flesh  of  the  reindeer. 

In  the  southern  part,  near  the  great  cen- 
tral ranges  of  mountains,  are  immense  grassy 
plains,  called  steppes,  which  are  inhabited  by 


ASIA  :    ASIATIC    RUSSIA,  CHINA,  AND    JAPAN. 


99 


a  fierce  race,  called  Tar- 
tars. They  live  in  tents. 
and  go  from  place  to 
place,  tending  their  herds 
of  camels,  sheep,  and  t 
horses. 

China.  —  South  of  Asi- 
atic Russia  is  China.  The 
Chinese  are  a  very  Strang 
people  —  different  from 
any  other  on  the  globe. 
They  are  very  proud  of 
their  country,  and  call 
it  the  "  Flowery  Land." 
Though  their  nation  is 
the  oldest  in  the  world, 
yet  it  has  made  but  lit- 
tle progress  for  many 
years.       Thousands    of 

years  ago  the  Chinese  knew  the  arts  of  print- 
ing, of  weaving  silk,  and  of  making  gunpowder, 
paper,  and  many  other  ingenious  and  beauti- 
ful things.  Yet  they  have  invented  very  lit- 
tle machinery  to  help  them  do  this  work,  and 
still  make  almost  everything  by  hand. 

They  have  some  very  strange  customs. 
The  infant  girls  of  the  wealthy  classes  have 
their  feet  tightly  bandaged,  to  prevent  them 
from  growing ;  so  they  have  only  clumsy 
lumps  for  feet,  making  it  very  difficult  for 
the  poor  creatures  to  walk.  The  men  shave 
off  all  their  hair,  except  around  the  crown  of 
the  head,  and  this  top-lock  they  allow  to  grow 
very  long,  and  braid  it  into  a  cue  that  hangs 
down  their  backs ;  and  they  think  it  a  terri- 
ble disgrace  to  have  this  cue  cut  oiT.  Then, 
again,  they  do  not  eat  with  knives  and  forks, 
but  with  little  wooden  or  ivory  rods,  called 
chopsticks. 

Many  of  the  Chinese  are  engaged  in  making 
silk,  paper,  porcelain,  lacquered  ware,  and  other 
articles ;  but  far  more  are  occupied  in  agricult- 
ure. The  land  is  carefully  cultivated,  besides 
which,  some  of  the  rivers  and  lakes  are  cov- 


TARTAR    LIFE   ON    THE   STEPPES. 


ered  with  rafts,  on  which  are  floating  gardens. 
Indeed,  there  are  as  many  as  three  millions  of 
Chinese  who  live  in  boats  and  in  houses  built 
on  rafts,  because  there  is  not  room  for  them 
on  the  land.  The  chief  productions  of  China 
are  rice,  tea,  cotton,  and  silk.  Rice  is  the 
principal  food  of  the  inhabitants. 

Pekin  is  the  capital  of  China;  Shanghai  and 
Canton  are  its  chief  commercial  cities. 

Japan. — Northeast  of  China  is  a  group  of 
islands,  which  together  form  the  Empire  of 
Japan. 

Although  the  Japanese  live  so  near  the  Chi- 
nese, they  are  a  very  different  kind  of  people. 
They  are  more  intelligent,  and  do  not  have  so 
many  odd  notions.  The  Chinese  dislike  for- 
eigners, and  have  learned  very  little  from 
them  ;  but  the  Japanese  welcome  Americans 
and  Europeans,  and  make  use  of  their  inven- 
tions, such  as  railroads  and  telegraphs. 

The  chief  productions  of  Japan  are  much 
the  same  as  those  of  China. 

Tokio  is  the  capital  of  the  Empire  of  Japan, 
and  Yokohama  [Yo-ko-hdh-ma]  is  the  chief 
commercial  port. 


100 


ASIA:    BRITISH   INDIA  AND  INDO-CHINA. 


SCENE   IN    CHINA. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  is  said  of  Asiatic  Russia  ? 

In  the  northern  part  the  climate  is  very- 
cold,  and  most  of  the  inhabitants  live  chiefly 
on  fish  and  the  flesh  of  the  reindeer. 

What  are  the  steppes  of  Asiatic  Russia  ? 

The  steppes  are  immense  grassy  plains,  in- 
habited by  Tartars,  who  live  in  tents,  and 
wander  about  with  their  flocks  and  herds. 

What  is  the  chief  occupation  of  the  Chinese  ? 
Agriculture. 

What  is  the  chief  food  of  the  Chinese  ? 
Rice. 

What  are  fhe  exports  of  China  and  Japan  ? 

Silk  and  tea. 

Name  the  capital  and  the  chief  ports  of  China. 

Pekin  is  the  capital,  and  Shanghai  and  Can- 
ton are  the  chief  ports. 

Name  the  capital  and  the  chief  port  of  the  Empire  of  Japan. 

Tokio  is  the  capital,  and  Yokohama  the 
chief  port. 


LESSON    LX. 
BEITISH  INDIA  AND  INDO-OHINA. 

[To  be  Read.] 

British  India.— British  India  includes 
nearly  all  of  Hindostan,  British  Burmah, 
and  the  island  of  Ceylon  [Ce-16ne].  Hin- 
dostan has  nearly  as  many  inhabitants 
as  there  are  in  all  Europe. 

The  greater  part  of  the  natives  are 
called  Hindoos  ;  they  are  divided  into 
five  castes,  or  classes  ;  and  those  who 
belong  to  any  one  of  these  castes  must 
not  even  so  much  as  eat  with  those  who 
belong  to  another.  The  people  of  the 
highest  caste,  called  Brahmins,  are  well 
educated ;  but  those  of  the  lowest  caste 
are  ignorant  and  degraded. 

British  India  produces  cotton,  rice, 
sugar,  opium,  indigo,  and  spices  in  abun- 
dance. Bamboo,  aloe,  ebony,  sandal -wood, 
palm,  and  other  valuable  trees  abound  in  the 
forests.  Here,  too,  the  banyan-tree  is  found, 
whose  great  spreading  branches  send  out 
shoots  that  grow  downward  until  they  reach 
the  ground,  where  they  take  root,  and  send 
out  branches  themselves.  Thus,  at  last,  a  sin- 
gle tree  comes  to  appear  like  a  little  grove. 

Calcutta,  Bombay  [Bom-bay],  and  Madras 
[Ma-drahs]  are  the  chief  seaports. 

Indo-China. — Indo-China  consists  of  a  num- 
ber of  small  states,  the  most  important  of 
which  are  Burmah,  Anam,  and  Siam.  A  large 
part  of  the  inhabitants  of  Bankok  [Ban-kok], 
the  capital  of  Siam,  live  on  bamboo  rafts, 
placed  in  rows  on  the  river  on  which  the  city 
is  situated,  so  that  they  form  long  floating 
streets. 

Terrible  storms,  called  cyclones,  sometimes 
take  place  in  the  Bay  of  Bengal  [Ben-gawl] 
and  the  China  Sea,  on  which  these  countries 
border.      The    wind    blows   with    fury    round 


ASIA:    PERSIA,   ARABIA,   AND    TURKEY. 


101 


and  round  in  a  circle,  and  moves 
forward  at  the  same  time.  Ves- 
sels are  lifted  out  of  the  ocean 
and  carried  into  the  fields  and 
towns.  The  houses  and  trees  are 
buried  under  the  raging  flood, 
and  the  inhabitants  and  animals 
are  drowned.  A  cyclone  among 
the  islands  in  the  Bay  of  Bengal, 
in  1876,  destroyed  nearly  two 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  peo- 
ple. 

The  chief  commercial  ports  of 
Indo-China  are  Bankok  and  Sin- 
gapore. Its  productions  and  ex- 
ports are  the  same  as  those  of 
British  India. 

Persia. — A  long  time  ago,  Per- 
sia was  a  very  powerful  nation, 
and  conquered  all  the  countries 
around  it.     Now  it  is  weak  and  unimportant. 

Arabia.  —  This  country  is  interesting,  be- 
cause it  contains  the  city  of  Mecca,  the  birth- 
place of  Mohammed,  the  author  of  the  relig- 
ion called"  Mohammedanism.  Mecca  is  held 
by  the  Mohammedans  to  be  a  holy  city,  and 
vast  numbers  of  them  visit  it  every  year. 

Mocha,  a  seaport  of  Arabia,  on  the  Red 
Sea,  is  noted  for  a  very  choice  kind  of  coffee. 

Turkey. — The  region  now  called  Turkey  in 
Asia  has  had  a  remarkable  history.  Thou- 
sands of  years  ago,  there  were  mighty  em- 
pires within  its  limits,  whose  capital  cities — 
Babylon  and  Nineveh — were  so  vast  and 
magnificent  as  to  be  ranked  among  the  won- 
ders of  the  world.  Now  nothing  is  left  of 
them  except  a  few  ruins. 

At  the  present  time,  it  is  a  miserably  op- 
pressed country.  Only  two  or  three  of  its 
ancient  places  remain  ;  one  is  Damascus,  a 
very  beautiful  city,  said  to  be  the  oldest  city 
in  the  world  ;  another  is  Bagdad.  These  cit- 
ies get  their  support  from  caravans  which 
carry  goods  from  Persia  to  Smyrna,  the  prin- 
27 


A    CYCLONE. 


cipal  seaport  of  the  country,  and  to  Constan- 
tinople, the  capital  of  the  Turkish  Empire. 

But  this  country  is  still  more  interesting  be- 
cause Palestine  is  a  part  of  it,  where  the  city 
of  Jerusalem  is,  and  where  most  of  the  events 
occurred  that  are  described  in  the  Bible. 

The  chief  exports  of  Turkey  are  figs  and 
other  dried  fruits. 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  countries  does  British  India  include  ? 

It  includes  Hindostan,  British  Burmah,  and 
the  island  of  Ceylon. 

What  are  its  staple  products  ? 

Cotton,  rice,  sugar,  opium,  and  spices. 

Name  the  chief  commercial  ports  of  Indo-China. 

Bankok  and  Singapore. 

What  is  said  of  Mocha  ? 

Mocha,  a   seaport    of  Arabia,  on  the   Red 
Sea,  is  noted  for  a  very  choice  kind  of  coffee. 

What  ancient  cities  of  Turkey  still  remain .' 
Damascus  and  Bagdad. 


102 


AUSTRALIA  :    QUESTIONS   ON   THE   MAP.— OCEANICA,   MALAYSIA,   ETC. 


AUSTRALIA 


(See  Map  on  page  96.) 


LESSON    LXI. 
QUESTIONS  ON  THE  MAP. 
[To  be  Recited.] 

What  continent  is  southeast  of  Asia  ?     What  oceans  are 
south  and  west  of  Australia  ?     What  ocean  is  east.?     What 


large  island  is  south  of  Australia  ?  What  group  of  islands 
is  southeast.'  What  large  island  is  north  of  Australia? 
What  four  large  islands  are  between  Australia  and  Asia.'' 
What  group  of  islands  is  northeast  of  Borneo?  What  is  the 
capital  and  chief  port  of  the  Philippine  Islands  ?  What  is 
the  principal  river  of  Australia  ?  What  is  its  chief  branch  ? 
Name  the  three  eastern  divisions  of  Australia.  What  is  the 
central  division  ?  What  is  the  western  division  ?  What  is 
the  capital  and  chief  city  of  Victoria  ?  What  is  the  capital 
and  chief  city  of  New  South  Wales  ? 


LESSON    LXII. 
AUSTKALIA,  OCEAmOA,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

Australia. — -This  island  continent,  owned 
by  Great  Britain,  was  first  used  as  a  place 
to  which  England  sent  her  criminals,  instead 
of  keeping  them  in  prisons  at  home.  But  a 
great  many  of  them  gave  up  their  bad  hab- 
its when  they  reached  Australia,  and  became 
industrious  farmers  and  merchants.  Large 
numbers  of  respectable  people  also  went  and 
settled  there.  So  flocks  and  herds  increased 
in  the  pastures  ;  towns  and  cities  were  built ; 
and  now  Australia  is  the  chief  wool-growing 
country  in  the  world,  and  produces  more  gold 
than  any  other  country  except  the  United 
States.  It  also  yields  large  quantities  of  cot- 
ton and  wheat. 

Most  of  its  settlements  are  in  the  eastern 
part,  in  the  provinces  of  New  South  Wales 
and  Victoria.  The  chief  cities  are  Melbourne 
and  Sydney.  A  large  part  of  the  continent 
has  not  yet  been  explored. 

There  are  no  very  large  native  animals  in 
Australia,  but  there  are  varieties  of  "  pouch- 
ed "  animals  ;  that  is,  creatures  which  have 
pouches    attached    to    their  bodies,  in   which 


they  hold  and  protect  their  young  when  they 
are  small.  The  kangaroo  is  the  largest  ani- 
mal of  this  description. 

Then  there  is  a  small  creature  with  a  body 
like  a  rat,  but  with  webbed  feet  and  a  bill  like 
a  duck.  It  is  called  the  duckbill.  There  is 
a  bird  whose  tail-feathers  grow  in  the  form 
of  a  lyre  or  harp.  It  is  named  the  lyre-bird. 
Here,  too,  are  found  the  beautiful  bird  of  par- 
adise, the  cassowary,  which  is  a  large  bird  like 
the  ostrich,  and  the  cockatoo,  a  very  hand- 
some kind  of  parrot. 

Tasmania  and  New  Zealand,  large  islands 
near  Australia,  belong  to  Great  Britain.  Their 
products  are  much  like  those  of  Australia. 

Oceanica. — There  are  thousands  of  islands 
in  the  South  Pacific  Ocean.  Some  are  large 
and  have  many  inhabitants ;  but  a  great 
many  are  small  rocky  points,  rising  out  of  the 
ocean  in  parallel  rows,  and,  no  doubt,  are  the 
tops  of  lofty  mountains.  Many  others  are 
beautiful  green  atolls,  or  circular  coral  islands. 
Hundreds  of  these  atolls  are  often  found  very 
near  each  other,  dotting  the  blue  waters,  and 
forming  one  of  the  loveliest  pictures  to  be 
seen  in  the  world. 

The  islands  of  the  Pacific,  taken  together, 
are  called  Oceanica.  Each  group  also  has  a 
separate  name. 


AUSTRALIA:    OCEANICA,   MALAYSIA,  ETC. 


103 


Malaysia. — The  islands  near  the  pen- 
insula of  Indo-China  are  called  Malaysia, 
because  they  are  inhabited  by  a  pecul- 
iar race  of  men,  called  Malays.  These 
islands  and  the  main -land  near  them 
are  the  "  East  Indies,"  which  Columbus 
hoped  to  reach  by  a  shorter  route  when 
he  set  sail  on  his  first  voyage  of  dis- 
covery. 

They  are  extremely  fertile,  and  yield 
in  abundance  spices,  coffee,  rice,  tobac- 
co, sugar,  Manila  grass,  and  other  prod- 
ucts of  the  hot  regions.  Borneo  and 
Banca  also  have  mines  of  excellent  tin. 

Java,  Celebes,  and  a  part  of  Borneo 
and  Sumatra  belong  to  the  Netherlands. 
The  Philippine  Islands  belong  to  Spain. 

Melanesia  means  "  islands  of  the 
blacks,"  and  is  the  name  given  to  the 
islands  north  and  east  of  Australia,  the 
largest  of  which  is  New  Guinea. 

Polynesia  is  a  word  meaning  "  many 
islands,"  and  includes  all  the  groups  of 
small  islands  scattered  over  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  The  only  one  of  these  groups 
which  it  is  important  to  mention  is  the 
Sandwich  Islands.  (See  map  of  the  Western 
Hemisphere.)  These  are  of  consequence  be- 
cause they  are  a  convenient  stopping -place 
for  whale-ships  when  on  their  way  to  or  from 
the  Arctic  Ocean.  The  steamers  that  run  be- 
tween San  Francisco  and  Australia  also  call  at 
these  islands.  The  chief  exports  are  cotton 
and  sugar. 


^'kMJ 


[To  be  Recited.] 

To  what  country  does  Australia  belong  ? 

It  belongs  to  Great  Britain. 

What  are  its  chief  productions  ? 
Wool,  gold,  cotton,  and  wheat. 

Name  some  of  the  animals  of  Australia. 
The  kangaroo,  the  duckbill,  the  bird  of  par- 
28 


adise,  the   lyre-bird,  the  cassowary,  and  the 
cockatoo. 

What  does  Oceanica  include  ? 

It  includes  all  the  islands  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean. 

What  does  Malaysia  include  ? 

It  includes  the  islands  near  the  peninsula 
of  Indo-China. 

What  are  the  exports  of  the  IMalaysian  islands  ? 

Tin,  spices,  coffee,  rice,  tobacco,  and  Manila 

grass. 

What  does  Polynesia  include  ? 
It  includes  the  groups  of  small  islands  scat- 
tered over  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

Why  are  the  Sandwich  Islands  important  ? 

They  are  important  as  a  stopping-place  for 
steamers  and  whale-ships. 


30         West  10  Longitude  fromo     OrcenwIcL         lo  East  20 


^^      Lonsltudc     87     EnBt     from    97  AVaaliiugton  107 


Cupijrio'it ,i^n jlitf  Harper  <£•  Brotkera. 


AFRICA  :    QUESTIONS   ON   THE   MAP.— SURFACE,  ANIMALS,  ETC. 


105 


AFRICA 


LESSON    LXIII. 

QUESTIONS  ON  THE  MAP. 
[To  be  Recited.] 

What  continent  is  north  of  Africa  ?  What  one  is  north- 
east ?  What  sea  is  on  the  north  of  Africa  ?  What  ocean  is 
on  the  west  ?  What  ocean  is  on  the  east  ?  What  strait  is 
between  Africa  and  Europe  ?  What  ocean  and  sea  does  it 
connect?  What  isthmus  connects  Africa  and  Asia?  Be- 
tween what  two  seas  is  it  ?  What  gulf  is  southeast  of  the 
Red  Sea  ?  What  strait  connects  them  ?  What  large  island 
is  on  the  east  coast  of  Africa  ?  What  noted  cape  is  near  the 
southern  extremity  of  Africa  ?     What  gulf  is  west  of  Africa  ? 


What  mountains  are  in  the  northern  part  of  Africa?  What 
mountains  are  in  the  western  part  of  Africa?  What  desert 
is  in  the  northern  part  of  Africa  ? 

What  lake  is  near  the  centre  of  Africa  ?  What  lake  is 
crossed  by  the  equator  ?  What  river  flows  into  the  Med- 
iterranean Sea?  What  river  flows  into  the  Indian  Ocean? 
What  two  rivers  flow  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean?  What  river 
flows  into  the  Gulf  of  Guinea  [Ghin'-e]  ? 

What  general  name  is  given  to  the  northwestern  part  of 
Africa  ?  Which  are  the  Barbary  States  ?  What  is  the  capi- 
tal of  Morocco  ?  Of  Algeria?  Of  Tunis?  Of  Tripoli?  Of 
Barca  ?  What  country  occupies  the  northeastern  part  of  Af- 
rica ?  What  is  its  capital  ?  What  seaport  is  northwest  of 
Cairo  [Ki'-ro]  ?  What  country  is  south  of  Egypt  ?  What  is 
its  capital  ?  What  colony  is  in  the  most  southern  part  of 
Africa  ?  What  is  its  capital  ?  What  country  is  south  of 
Sahara  ?     What  city  in  Soudan  is  on  Niger  River  ? 


LESSON    LXIV. 
SUEFACE,  ANIMALS,  ETC. 

[To  be  Read.] 

There  is  not  so  much  to  be  told  about 
Africa  as  about  the  other  continents ;  for, 
except  in  the  northern  part  and  in  a  few 
white  settlements  on  the  western  and  south- 
ern coasts,  it  is  inhabited  only  by  uncivilized 
negroes.  A  large  portion  is  wholly  unknown 
to  white  men. 

Surface. — The  surface  of  the  interior  is  sup- 
posed to  be  quite  level.  The  chief  mountains 
are  the  Atlas  Mountains  in  the  north,  the 
Kong  Mountains  in  the  west,  and  the  ranges 
near  the  eastern  border.  One  peak  of  the 
latter  is  nearly  four  miles  high. 

There  are  only  five  large  rivers.  These  are 
the  Nile,  the  Niger,  the  Congo,  the  Zambesi 
[Zam-bay'-zee],  and  the  Orange. 

The  most  remarkable  portion  of  the  surface 
is  the  great  Desert  of  Sahara,  the  largest  des- 
ert in  the  world.  It  occupies  nearly  a  quar- 
2Q 


ter  of  the  whole  continent.  The  greater  part 
is  covered  with  dry,  shifting  sands,  which,  made 
scorching  hot  by  the  sun.  are  sometimes  lifted 
up  by  storm  winds,  and  driven  along  in  thick 
clouds  so  as  to  be  fatal  to  travellers.  Whole 
caravans  are  sometimes  stifled  by  these  sand- 
clouds.  Here  and  there  on  the  vast  surface 
of  the  desert  are  fertile  spots  that  are  called 
oases.  They  are  watered  by  underground 
springs,  and  covered  with  trees.  Their  wells 
supply  travellers  with  water,  and  their  trees 
afford  them  pleasant  shade.  Commerce  is 
carried  on  across  this  immense  desert  by 
means  of  caravans. 

Animals. —  Africa  produces  a  great  variety 
of  native  animals,  some  of  them  being  of 
enormous  size.  Besides  the  elephant,  the 
rhinoceros,  the  lion,  and  the  crocodile,  which 
are  found  in  Asia  also,  there  is  the  hippopot- 
amus, a  huge  creature  that  lives  partly  on 
land  and  partly  in  the  water  ;  the  giraffe,  a 
singular  animal  with  short  hind  legs,  very 
long  fore  legs,  and  a  very  long  neck ;  the 
chimpanzee,  a  species  of  monkey  as  large  as 
a  man;    the  zebra,  a  kind   of  striped  horse; 


loe 


AFRICA:    SURFACE,  ANIMALS,   ETC. 


and  the  hyena,  a  fierce 
creature  that  lives  on  de- 
caying flesh. 

Egypt. —  The  most  in- 
teresting and  important 
of  all  the  countries  of 
Africa  is  Egypt.  Thou- 
sands of  years  ago,  there 
was  a  powerful  nation  in 
Egypt  that  had  great 
learning  and  skill.  It 
built  magnificent  temples, 
of  which  there  are  many 
ruins.  It  also  built  the 
immense  piles  of  stone 
called  the  Pyramids.  Only 
a  few  of  that  ancient  peo- 
ple still  remain.  The  country  is  now  occu- 
pied by  Arabs  and  Turks. 

Egypt  occupies  the  valley  of  the  River  Nile. 
No  rain  ever  falls  in  this  valley,  except  near 
the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea ;  but  for 
three  months  of  every  year  the  Nile  slowly 
rises,  until  it  overflows  its  banks,  and  makes 
the  valley  like  a  lake  from  the  mountains  to 
the  sea.  When  the  water  has  settled  away 
from  the  valley  again,  the  people  plant  their 
fields :  they  become  green  and  beautiful,  and 
produce  abundantly.  The  chief  products  are 
cotton,  rice,  and  wheat. 

Cairo  [Ki-ro]  is  the  capital.  Alexandria,  on 
the  Mediterranean  Sea,  is  the  largest  seaport. 

Suez  Canal,  a^  large  ship -canal,  ninety -two 
miles  long,  has  been  dug  from  the  Mediter- 
ranean Sea  across  the  isthmus  of  Suez  to  the 
Red  Sea ;  and  now  the  ships  that  used  to 
carry  goods  around  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope 
go  by  way  of  this  canal,  which  is  a  much 
shorter  and  safer  route. 

Barbary  States. —  The  other  countries  that 
lie  along  the  border  of  the  Mediterranean 
Sea  are  called  the  "  Barbary  States."  Their 
exports  are  grain,  dates,  cotton,  Morocco 
leather,  and  articles  brought  from    the    inte- 


rior  of  the  continent  by  the  caravans,  such 
as  ivory,  ostrich  feathers,  and  gold-dust. 

Soudan.  —  Soudan  is  the  name  of  a  large 
region  south  of  the  Great  Desert,  and  is  in- 
habited by  negroes. 

Coast  Settlements.  —  Liberia,  on  the  west 
coast,  is  settled  by  negroes  from  the  United 
States.  Cape  Colony,  Natal,  and  Transvaal,  in 
the  southern  part,  are  British  colonies.  Sene- 
gambia,  on  the  west  coast,  belongs  to  France  ; 
and  Sierra  Leone  is  a  British  colony  for  ne- 
groes rescued  from  slave-ships. 

Islands. — Of  the  islands  belonging  to  Africa 
the  largest  is  Madagascar.  Its  inhabitants 
are  partly  civilized.  West  of  Morocco  are 
two  groups  of  small  islands,  called  the  Ma- 
deira and  Canary  Islands.  Their  chief  prod- 
ucts are  wine,  sugar,  and  coffee. 


TROPICS   AND   POLAR   CIRCLES. 


107 


» 


[To  be  Recited.] 

What  mountains  are  there  in  Africa  ? 

The  Atlas  Mountains,  the  Kong  Mountains, 
and  the  ranges  near  the  eastern  border. 

Name  the  five  largest  rivers. 

The  Nile,  the  Niger,  the  Congo,  the  Zam- 
besi, and  the  Orange, 

What  is  said  of  the  Desert  of  Sahara  ? 

It  is  the  largest  desert  in  the  world. 

Name  some  of  the  animals  of  Africa. 

The  elephant,  the  rhinoceros,  the  lion,  the 
crocodile,  the  hippopotamus,  the  giraffe,  the 
zebra,  the  chimpanzee,  and  the  hyena. 


LESSON    LXV. 

QUESTIONS  FOR  KEVIEW. 
[To  be  Recited.] 

For  what  is  Asia  remarkable  ?     Describe  its  surface.     Its 
climate.     Name  some  of  the  animals  of  Asia. 


What  is  said  of  Asiatic  Russia  ?  What  is  said  of  the  Chi- 
nese ?  What  is  their  principal  occupation  ?  Name  the  chief 
productions  of  China.     Name  the  most  important  cities. 

Of  what  does  the  Empire  of  Japan  consist  ?  What  is  said 
of  the  Japanese  ?     What  are  the  productions  of  Japan  ? 

What  does  British  India  include  ?  What  is  said  of  Ilin- 
dostan  ?  What  are  the  productions  of  British  India  ?  Name 
the  chief  seaports.  What  is  said  of  Bankok  ?  What  are  cy- 
clones ?  What  is  said  of  Persia  ?  For  what  is  Mecca  noted  ? 
For  what  is  Mocha  noted?     What  is  said  of  Turkey .' 

To  what  country  does  Australia  belong  ?  Name  the  chief 
productions  of  Australia.  Name  the  two  chief  cities.  Name 
some  of  the  animals  of  Australia. 

What  does  Oceanica  include  ?  Into  what  three  groups  are 
these  islands  divided  ?  What  does  Malaysia  include  ?  Me- 
lanesia }  Polynesia  ?  Name  the  productions  of  the  Malay- 
sian islands.  Which  is  the  largest  of  the  Melanesian  islands  ? 
Which  is  the  most  important  group  in  Polynesia  ? 

By  whom  is  Africa  inhabited  ?  Describe  the  surface  of 
Africa.  Name  the  five  largest  rivers  of  Africa.  What  is  said 
of  the  Desert  of  Sahara  ?  How  is  commerce  carried  on  across 
the  desert  ?  Name  some  of  the  animals  of  Africa.  What  is 
the  chief  river  of  Egypt  ?  Of  what  use  is  it  ?  Name  the  chief 
products  of  Egypt.  Name  the  capital  and  the  largest  seaport. 
Where  is  the  Suez  Canal .-'  Of  what  use  is  it  ?  Name  the 
Barbary  States.  Name  their  principal  exports.  What  is 
Soudan  ?  Name  the  coast  settlements.  Name  the  most  im- 
portant islands  that  belong  to  Africa. 


TROPICS    AND    POLAR   CIRCLES. 


LESSON    LXVI. 

[To  be  Read.] 

We  have  learned  that  the  earth  is  divided 
into  five  belts  or  zones  :  one  Torrid,  two  Tem- 
perate, and  two  Frigid  Zones. 

The  circles  that  bound  the  Torrid  Zone  on 
each  side  of  the  equator  are  drawn  just  at  the 
limit  of  the  space  on  which  the  sun's  rays  fall 
vertically.  These  two  circles  are  called  trop- 
ics. The  northern  tropic  is  the  Tropic  of  Can- 
cer; the  southern,  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn. 

Since  the  boundaries  of  the  Torrid  Zone  are 
called  tropics,  the  productions  of  that  zone  are 
called  tropical.  Thus,  oranges,  bananas,  and 
pine-apples  are  tropical  fruits. 

The  circles  that  separate  the  Frigid  from 
the  Temperate  Zones  are  called  polar  circles. 


Within  these  cir- 


NORTH  POLE 
^ARCT1( 


They  are  drawn  at  the  limit  of  the  succession 

of  day  and  night.     The  northern  polar  circle 

is  called  the  Arctic  Circle;    the  southern   is 

called  the  Antarctic  Circle. 

cles,  the    longest 

day  in  the  year 

is  not  15  hours, 

as  it  is  with  us,  ss^n 

but   is  24  hours 

just  on  the  inner 

edge  of  the  cir- 

cles,and  becomes 

lonsrer  and  long- 


SBJsS 


come 


23(4  N 


S3>iat 


SOUTH  POLE 


er    as   we 

nearer  the  poles, 

where  there  are  no  less  than  six  months  of 

constant    sunshine,  followed    by   six    months 

during  which  the  sun  never  rises. 


108 


LATITUDE   AND   LONGITUDE. 


LATITUDE    AND    LONGITUDE, 


LESSON    LXVII. 

[To  be  Read.] 

One  of  the  most  important  things  man  has 
ever  invented  is  the  method  of  finding  the 
exact  position  of  any  place  on  the  surface  of 
the  earth  ;  for  without  this  knowledge  no  cor- 
rect maps  could  be  made,  and  seamen  could 
not  take  their  ships  in  safety  across  the  ocean. 

Let  us  suppose  that  a  map  of  a  hemisphere 
was  to  be  made.  The  first  step  was  to  draw 
the  circles  that  were  to  be  the  boundaries  of 
the  map  ;  then  to  fix  upon  some  circles  to 
start  from  in  making  the  necessary  measure- 
ments and  reckonings.  For  if  there  is  any 
way  to  find  out  how  far  a  place  is  north  or 
south  from  a  given  circle,  and  also  how  far  it 
is  east  or  west  from  a  given  circle,  one  can 
tell  its  exact  position  on  the  earth's  surface. 

The  equator  was  selected  as  the  circle  from 
which  to  reckon  distance  north  or  south,  and 
circles  were  drawn  parallel  to  the  equator,  and 
between  it  and  the  poles.  These  circles  are 
called  parallels  of  latitude.  The  distance  of  a 
place  north  or  south  of  the  equator  is  its  lati- 
tude. 

The  next  step  was  to  select  a  place  from 
which  to  reckon  distance  east  or  west.  For 
this  purpose  a  semicircle  was  drawn  at  right 
angles  to  the  equator,  through  Greenwich 
[Grin-ij],  near  London,  England.  This  semi- 
circle is  called  the  meridian  of  Greenwich,  or 
the  prime  meridian.  The  distance  of  a  place 
east  or  west  of  the  prime  meridian  is  its  longi- 
tude. The  point  where  this  meridian  crosses 
the  equator  was  made  the  starting-point  of 
the  reckoning.  Then  the  equator  was  divided 
into  360  degrees,  and  other  semicircles  were 


drawn  at  right  angles  to  the  equator.     These 
semicircles  are  called  meridiatts. 

We  can  easily  see  that  every  place  has  its 
own  meridian  and  its  own  parallel  of  latitude  ; 
so  there  may  be  as  many  meridians  and  paral- 
lels of  latitude  as  can  be  drawn  side  by  side 
over  the  whole  surface  of  the  globe. 


TiTortTiPole 


Soutli  Fo^e 


Places  on  the  equator  have  no  latitude. 
The  latitude  of  places  increases  as  we  ap- 
proach the  poles,  at  which  points  it  is  90 
degrees,  the  greatest  possible  latitude. 

Places  on  the  prime  meridian  have  no  lon- 
gitude. The  greatest  longitude  a  place  can 
have  is  180  degrees. 

The  degrees  of  latitude  are  of  nearly  uni- 
form length ;  but  the  degrees  of  longitude 
decrease  in  length  from  the  equator  towards 
the  poles,  and  at  the  poles  have  no  length, 
since  the  meridians  there  cross  each  other. 

Now,  with  an  instrument  called  a  sextant, 
the  exact  position  of  any  place  on  the  globe 
can  be  ascertained,  and,  by  means  of  the  par- 
allels and  meridians,  it  can  be  marked  on  a 
map. 


RACES   OF   MEN. 


109 


RACES    OF     MEN. 


LESSON    LXVIII. 
[To  be  Read.] 

The    inhabitants  of  the    earth    differ    from 
each   other  in   their  general  appearance  —  in 
the  shape  of  the  head,  color  of  the  skin,  and 
in  other  particulars — and  for  this 
reason   they   have   been    divided 
into  classes. 

These  classes  are  five  in  num- 
ber, and  are  called  the  "  Five 
Races  of  Men  :"  1.  The  White,  or 
Caucasian,  race  ;  2.  The  Yellow, 
or  Mongolian,  race  ;  3.  The  Black, 
or  Negro,  race  ;  4.  The  Brown,  or 
Malay,  race ;  5,  The  Red,  or  Ind- 
ian, race. 

The  White,  or  Caucasian,  race 
is  the  most  numerous  of  all.  The 
white  people  in  America  and  Eu- 
rope, and  the  Persians,  Arabians, 
Jews,  and  Hindoos  in  Asia,  be- 
long to  it.  It  is  known  chiefly  by 
a  fair  skin  and  regular  features. 

The  Yellow,  or  Mongolian,  race 
ranks  next  to  the  Caucasian  race  in  numbers. 
The  people  of  this  race  have  a  yellowish 
skin,  straight  black  hair,  broad,  flat  faces,  and 
almond-shaped  eyes.  The  Esquimaux,  the 
Turks,  the  Tartars,  the  Chinese,  and  the  Jap- 
anese belong  to  this  race. 

The  Black,  or  Negro,  race  has  a  very  dark 
skin,  thick  lips,  flat  noses,  and  woolly  hair, 
and  is  found  chiefly  in  Africa. 

The  Brown,  or  Malay,  race  is  found  in  the 
Malay  Peninsula,  in  the  southern  part  of  Asia, 
in  the  neighboring  islands,  and  in  the  groups 
of  islands  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  Malays 
have  brown  skins,  flat  faces,  large  mouths, 
and  coarse  black  hair. 


The  Red,  or  Indian,  race  consists  of  the 
descendants  of  those  who  inhabited  North 
America  and  South  America  when  those  con- 
tinents were  settled  by  white  men.  They 
have  reddish  skins,  straight  and  coarse  black 
hair,  and  high  cheek-bones. 


1   \ 


MONGOLIAN. 
INDIAN. 


CAUCASIAN. 


NEGRO. 

MALAY. 


-♦ *-^ 


LESSON    LXIX. 

[To  be  Recited.] 

What  are  the  boundaries  of  the  Torrid  Zone  called  ? 
Where  are  they  drawn .'  Name  the  tropics.  What  circles 
separate  the  Temperate  and  Frigid  Zones .'  Where  are  they 
drawn  ^     Name  the  polar  circles. 

What  is  latitude  ?  How  is  it  reckoned .'  What  are  par- 
allels of  latitude }  What  is  the  latitude  of  a  place  on  the 
equator  ?     What  is  the  greatest  latitude  a  place  can  have  ." 

What  is  longitude  ?  What  is  the  prime  meridian  }  What 
is  a  meridian .'  What  is  the  longitude  of  a  place  on  the 
prime  meridian  ?    What  is  the  greatest  longitude  a  place  can 

have  .'' 

Into  how  many  races  have  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
been  divided  .'     Name  them.     Describe  each  of  the  races. 


110 


QUESTIONS   FOR   GENERAL   REVIEW. 


QUESTIONS    FOR   GENERAL   REVIEW. 


I.  INTRODUCTION. 

What  is  geography  ?  What  is  the  form  of  the  earth  ? 
Why  does  it  seem  to  be  a  plain  ?  What  proofs  can  you  give 
that  it  is  a  ball,  and  not  a  plain  ?  What  is  a  hemisphere  ? 
How  many  hemispheres  are  there  ?  What  are  the  divisions 
of  the  land  ?  What  are  the  forms  of  the  land  ?  How  many 
continents  are  there  ?  Name  them.  What  are  the  divisions 
of  the  water  ?  What  are  the  forms  of  the  water  ?  How 
many  oceans  are  there  ?  Name  them.  Which  is  the  most 
important  ?  Describe  the  formation  of  a  coral  island.  De- 
scribe the  course  of  a  drop  of  water  from  the  time  it  leaves 
the  ocean  until  it  returns  to  the  ocean  again.  How  are  day 
and  night  caused .''  How  are  the  seasons  caused  ?  How  many 
zones  are  there  ?  Name  them.  What  causes  the  diflerence 
in  the  temperature — that  is,  the  heat  or  cold — of  the  differ- 
ent zones  ?  What  is  the  earth's  axis  ?  What  are  the  poles  .■' 
Which  are  the  cardinal  points  ?  What  is  the  distance  around 
the  earth  ?     Describe  the  Gulf  Stream. 

II.  NORTH  AMERICA. 

What  strait  separates  North  America  from  Asia  ?  What 
isthmus  connects  North  America  and  South  America  ? 
Name  the  chief  mountain  systems  of  North  America.  Name 
five  of  the  chief  rivers.  Name  the  "  Great  Lakes."  Name 
the  chief  islands.  Name  the  four  largest  of  the  West  India 
Islands.  What  is  said  of  the  rivers  of  North  America  ?  Of 
its  soil .''     Of  its  productions  ?     Name  some  of  its  animals. 

Name  the  countries  of  North  America.  Where  is  the 
United  States  ?  What  is  its  capital  .''  Name  the  capitals  of 
the  North  Atlantic  States.  The  Middle  Atlantic  States.  The 
South  Atlantic  States.  The  South  Central  States.  The 
North  Central  States.  The  West  Central  States.  The  States 
of  the  Plains.  The  Western  or  Highland  States.  In  going 
from  Cincinnati  to  New  Orleans  by  water,  what  rivers  would 
we  sail  upon  ?  What  states  would  we  pass  ?  In  going  from 
Chicago  to  Buffalo  by  boat,  what  bodies  of  water  would  we 
sail  upon  ?  What  states  and  countries  would  we  pass  ?  In 
going  from  Portland  to  New  Orleans  by  water,  what  states 
would  we  pass  ?  What  continent  would  we  reach  in  sailing 
directly  east  from  New  York  ?  In  sailing  directly  west  from 
San  Francisco  ? 

Name  the  divisions  of  British  America.  In  what  valley 
is  most  of  the  population  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  ?  What 
is  its  capital  ?  What  two  important  cities  on  St.  Lawrence 
River?  Where  is  Mexico?  What  is  its  capital?  What  is 
its  climate  ? 

III.  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

Describe  the  Andes  Mountains.  Where  are  the  capitals 
of  the  Andes  countries  ?  How  does  the  climate  of  the  Andes 
plateau  differ  from  that  of  the  plains  below  the  mountains  ? 
Name  the  three  great  rivers  of  South  America.  Which  of 
these  is  the  largest  river  in  the  world.  What  are  the  llanos  ? 
The  selvas  ?     The  pampas  ?     What  large  empire  in   South 


America  ?  Where  is  it  situated  ?  Name  the  countries  of 
South  America  which  border  on  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  Name 
those  on  the  Pacific  Ocean.  What  countries  are  crossed 
by  the  Equator  ?  What  nations  conquered  South  America  ? 
What  are  the  chief  products  of  South  America  ?  Name 
some  of  the  animals  of  South  America. 

IV.  EUROPE. 

Name  the  inland  seas  of  Europe.  Name  five  of  its  most 
important  rivers.  Is  the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain  on  the 
main-land,  or  on  islands  ?  With  what  state  of  the  United 
States  do  these  islands  compare  in  size  ?  What  part  of 
North  America  is  in  the  latitude  of  the  British  Isles  ?  What 
is  its  climate  ?  What  is  the  climate  of  the  British  Isles  ? 
What  makes  them  so  much  warmer  than  Labrador  ?  What 
climate  have  the  countries  bordering  on  the  Mediterranean 
Sea?  What  causes  this  climate?  What  ocean  is  north  of 
Europe  ?  What  continent  east  ?  What  sea  south  ?  What 
ocean  west?  Name  the  five  great  powers  of  Europe.  What 
is  the  capital  of  Great  Britain  ?  Of  France  ?  Of  the  Ger- 
man Empire?  Of  Austria?  Of  Russia?  Name  the  coun- 
tries of  Europe  that  are  situated  on  peninsulas.  Which  is  the 
largest  country  of  Europe  ?  What  countries  border  on  the 
Baltic  Sea  ?  On  the  North  Sea  ?  On  the  Atlantic  Ocean  ? 
On  the  Mediterranean  Sea  ?  What  countries  have  little  or  no 
sea-coast  ?  What  celebrated  mountains  in  Europe  ?  Name 
some  of  the  animals  of  Europe.  A  ship  is  to  carry  wheat 
from  Odessa  to  London,  what  course  will  it  take  ? 

V.  ASIA  AND  AUSTRALIA. 

Where  are  the  chief  mountains  of  Asia  ?  Which  are  the 
highest  mountains  in  the  world  ?  Name  some  of  the  animals 
of  Asia.  What  populous  empire  is  situated  wholly  on  isl- 
ands ?  Where  are  those  islands?  What  ocean  north  of 
Asia  ?  What  ocean  east  ?  What  ocean  south  ?  What  land 
and  seas  form  its  western  boundary  ?  What  is  the  chief 
article  of  food  among  the  crowded  inhabitants  of  China  and 
Southern  India?  What  islands  are  crossed  by  the  Equator? 
To  what  country  does  Australia  belong?  What  are  its  chief 
products  ?  Name  some  of  its  animals.  What  large  islands 
in  its  neighborhood  belong  to  Great  Britain  ?  What  is  Ma- 
laysia ?  Melanesia  ?  Polynesia  ?  How  do  most  ships  go 
from  Europe  to  the  East  Indies  ? 

VI.  AFRICA. 

By  whom  is  most  of  Africa  inhabited  ?  Describe  its  sur- 
face. How  is  traffic  carried  on  across  the  Desert  of  Saha- 
ra ?  What  are  oases?  Name  the  chief  rivers  of  Africa. 
Into  what  do  they  flow?  Name  the  principal  animals  of  Af- 
rica. What  is  the  most  important  country  of  Africa?  How  is 
the  soil  of  Egypt  made  fertile  ?  Does  it  ever  rain  in  Egypt  ? 
What  are  the  chief  products  of  Egypt  ?  What  important  ca- 
nal belongs  to  Africa  ?  Why  is  it  important  ?  What  coun- 
tries in  Africa  border  on  the  Mediterranean  Sea?  What  is 
south  of  those  countries  ?  What  large  island  in  the  Indian 
Ocean  belongs  to  Africa  ? 


TABLES    OF   POPULATION. 


Ill 


TABLES    OF    POPULATION. 


[PRINCIPAL  CITIES  OF  THE  WORLD.] 

•  Census  of  1ST5.        **  Census  of  1S70. 


London,  England 3,533,4S4 

Paris,  France 1,983,800 

Pekin,  China  l,(Un,000 

•New  York,  U.  S 1,04C,037 

Vienna,  Austria 1,001,999 

Canton,  China 1,000,000 

Berlin,  Germany 966,872 

Tientsin,  China 930,000 

♦Philadelphia,  U.  S 817,448 

Han  Chau,  China 800,000 

Tokio,  Japan 790,000 

St.  Petersburg,  Russia  . . .  607,920 

Bombay,  Hindostan 647,000 

Calcutta,          "          616,000 

Moscow,  Russia 611,970 

Fuh  Chau,  China 600,000 

Glasgow,  Scotland 5f)5,933 

Liverpool,  England 527,0-i3 

Manchester,      "       500,397 

Bankok,  Indo-China 500,000 

Nankin,  China !5O0,000 

♦Brooklyn,  U.S 484,016 

Naples,  Italy 448,743 

Ozaka,  Japan 414,000 

Constantinople,  Turkey  . .  400,000 


Hyderabad,  Hindostan  ....  400,000 

Ningpo,  China 400,000 

Madras,  Hindostan 395,000 

Birmingham,  England 377,430 

Brussels,  Belgium 370,905 

Kioto,  Japan 375,000 

Cairo,  Egypt 349,883 

Hamburg,  Germany 345,801 

Lyons,  France 342,815 

♦Boston,  U.S 341,919 

Madrid,  Spain 332,024 

Marseilles,  France 318,868 

Dublin,  Ireland 314,006 

**St.  Louis,  U.  S 310,804 

♦♦Chicago,        "      298,977 

Leeds,  England 291,680 

Amsterdam,  Netherlands. . .  289,982 

Lucknow,  Hindostan 28.5,000 

Patna,                "         284,000 

Shanghai,  China 277,000 

Lisbon,  Portugal 275,2^0 

Rio  Janeiro,  Brazil 274,972 

Sheffield,  England 274,914 

♦♦Baltimore,  U.  S 207,3,54 

Milan,  Italy 261,970 


Warsaw,  Russia 251,584 

Rome,  Italy 244,484 

Breslau,  Germany 239,050 

Bucharest,  Roumania 221,150 

Palermo,  Italy 219,933 

Edinburgh,  Scotland 218,729 

♦♦Cincinnati,  U.  S 210,239 

Bordeaux,  France 215,140 

Alexandria,  Egypt 212,054 

Turin,  Italy 207,770 

Havana,  West  Indies 200,000 

Pesth,  Austria 202,000 

Amoy,  China 200,000 

Benares,  Hindostan 200,000 

Mexico,  Mexico 200,000 

Bristol,  England 199,539 

Dresden,  Germany 197,295 

Melbourne,  Australia 104,000 

**New  Orieans,  U.  S 191,418 

Prague,  Austria 189,949 

Copenhagen,  Denmark  ....  181,291 

Barcelona,  Spain 180,000 

Buenos  Ayres,  Arg.  Con.  . .  178,000 

Belfast.  Ireland 174,394 

Bradford,  England 173,723 


Munich,  Germany 109,093 

Florence,  Italy 107,093 

Manila,  Malay  Islands 105,000 

Odessa,  Russia 162,814 

Lille,  France 102,775 

Lima,  Peru 100,000 

Stockholm,  Sweden 157,215 

Delhi,  Hindostan 152,000 

Bokhara,  Asiatic  Russia  . . .  150,000 

Singapore,  Indo-China 150,00(1 

Smyrna,  Asiatic  Turkey. . . .  150,000 

♦♦San  Francisco,  U.  S 149,473 

Santiago,  Chili 148,204 

Antwerp,  Belgium 145,101 

Newcastle,  England 139,929 

Hull,  England 130,933 

Cologne,  Germany 13,5,371 

Sydney,  Australia 13.5,000 

♦Buffalo.  U.  S 134,573 

Rotterdam,  Netherlands. . .  132,0.54 

Toulouse,  France 131,042 

Genoa,  Italy 130,209 

Ghent,  Belgium 130,092 

Bahia,  Brazil 129,109 

Venice,  Italy 128.901 


[CITIES  AND  TOWNS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  HAVING  A  POPULATION  OF  MORE  THAN  12,000  IN  1870.] 


Adams,  Mass 12,090 

Albany,  N.Y 69,422 

Alexandria,  Va 13,570 

Allegheny,  Pa 53,180 

Allentown,  Pa 13,884 

Adanta,  Ga 21,789 

Auburn,  N.Y 17,225 

Augusta,  Ga 15,389 

Baltimore,  Md 267,354 

Bangor,  Me 18,289 

Binghamton,  N.Y 12,092 

Bloomington,  III 14,590 

Boston,  Mass 250,520 

Bridgeport,  Ct 18,909 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y 390,099 

Buffalo,  N.Y 117,714 

Burlington,  Iowa 14,930 

Buriington,  Vt 14,387 

Cambridge,  Mass 39,034 

Camden,  N.J 20,045 

Charleston,  S.  C 48,956 

Chariestown,  Mass 28,323 

Chelsea,  Mass 18,547 

Chicago,  111 298,977 

Cincinnati,  0 216,239 

Cleveland,  0 92,829 

Cohoes,  N.Y 15,357 

Columbus,  0 31,274 

Concord,  N.H 12,241 

Covington,  Ky 24,505 

Davenport,  Iowa 20,038 

Dayton,  0 30,473 

Des  Moines,  Iowa 12,035 


Detroit,  Mich 79,577 

Dubuque,  Iowa 18,434 

Elizabeth,  N.J 20,832 

Elmira,  N.  Y 15,803 

Erie,  Pa 19,646 

Evansville,  Ind 21,830 

Fall  River,  Mass 26,700 

Fond  du  Lac,  Wis 12,764 

Fort  Wayne,  Ind 17,718 

Galveston,  Texas 13,818 

Gloucester,  Mass 15,389 

Grand  Rapids,  Mich 10,507 

Harrisburg,  Pa 23,104 

Hartford,  Ct 37,180 

Haverhill,  Mass 13,092 

Hoboken,  N.  J 20,297 

Indianapolis,  Ind 48,244 

Jersey  City,  N.  J 82,.540 

Kansas  City,  Mo 32,200 

Keokuk,  Iowa 12,766 

La  Fayette,  Ind 13,506 

Lancaster,  Pa 20,233 

Lawrence,  Mass 28,921 

Leavenworth,  Kansas 17,873 

Lewiston,  Me 13,600 

Lexington,  Ky 14,801 

Little  Rock,  Ark 12,380 

Lockport,  N.Y 12,426 

Louisville,  Ky 100,753 

Lowell,  Mass 40,928 

Lynn,  Mass 28,233 

Manchester,  N.  H 23,536 

Memphis,  lenn 40,226 


Milwaukee,  Wis 71,440 

Minneapolis,  Minn 13,006 

Mobile,  Ala 32,034 

Nashville,  Tenn 25,865 

Newark,  N.J 105,0.59 

New  Albany,  Ind 15,390 

New  Bedford,  Mass 21 ,320 

New  Brunswick,  N.J 15,0.58 

Newburgh,  N.Y 17,014 

Newburvport,  Mass 12,595 

New  Haven,  Ct 50,840 

New  Orieans,  La 191,418 

Newport,  Ky 15,087 

Newport,  R.I 12,521 

Newton,  Mass 12,825 

New  York,  N.Y 942,292 

Norfolk,  Va 19,229 

Norwalk,  Ct 12,119 

Norwich,  Ct 16,653 

Omaha,  Neb 16,083 

Oshkosh,  Wis 12,063 

Oswego,  N.Y 20,910 

Paterson.  N.  J 33,579 

Peoria,  111 22,849 

Petersburg,  Va 18,950 

Philadelphia,  Pa 674,022 

Pittsburgh,  Pa 80.076 

Pottsville,  Pa 12,384 

Portland,  Me 31,413 

Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y 20,080 

Providence,  R.  1 68,904 

Quincv,  111 24,0.52 

Reading,  Pa 33,930 


Richmond,  Va 51,038 

Rochester,  N.Y 02,380 

Sacramento,  Cal 10,283 

Salem,  Mass 24,117 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 12,854 

San  Antonio,  Texas 12,2.56 

Sandusky,  O 13,000 

San  Francisco,  Cal 149,473 

Savannah,  Ga 28,233 

Scranton,  Pa 35,092 

Somerville,  Mass 14,685 

Springfield,  Mass 26,703 

Springfield,  111 17,364 

Springfield,  0 12,652 

St.  Joseph,  Mo 19,565 

St.  Louis,  Mo 310,864 

St.  Paul,  Minn 20,0.30 

Syracuse,  N.Y 43,051 

Taunton,  Mass 18,269 

Terre  Haute,  Ind 10,103 

Toledo,  0 31,584 

Trenton,  N.J 22,874 

Troy,  N.Y 46,465 

Utica,  N.Y 28,804 

Vicksburg,  Miss 12,443 

Washington,  D.  C 109,199 

Waterbury,  Ct 13,106 

Wheeling.  W.  Va 19.280 

Williamsport,  Pa 16,030 

Wilmington,  Del 30.841 

Wilmington,  N.  C 13,446 

Worcester,  Mass 41,105 

Yonkers,  N.Y 12,733 


p 


112 


Abyssinia Ab  is  sin'  e  a. 

Adriatic A  dre  at'  ic. 

Afghanistan Af  gan  is  tan'. 

Alabama Al  a  bah'  ma. 

Albemarle Al  be  marie'. 

Alexandria Al  ex  an'  dre  a. 

Algiers Al  jeerz'. 

Alleghany Al'  le  gay  ny. 

Altai Al  ti'. 

Altamaha Al  ta  ma  haw'. 

Amoor A  moor'. 

Androscoggin .  . .  An  dros  cog'  gin. 
Appalachian  ....  Ap  pa  la'  che  an. 
Appalachicola.  ..Ap  pa  lach  e  co  la. 

Arequipa Ah  ray  kee'  pa. 

Argentine Ar'  gen  tine. 

Arizona Ar  i  zo^  na. 

Arkansas Ar  kan'  sas. 

Asia  A'  she  a. 

Asuncion Ah  soon  se  own'. 

Bab  el  Mandeb.  .Bab  el  Man'  deb. 

Bagdad Bag  dad'. 

Bahama Ba  ha'ma. 

Bahia Bah  ee'  a. 

Baltic Bawl'  tic. 

Baltimore Bawl'  te  more. 

Bangor Bang'  gor. 

Bankok Ban  kok'. 

Baton  Rouge Bali  tn  Roozh'. 

Behring Beer'  ing. 

Beirut Bi'  root. 

Belgrade Bel  grade'. 

Beloochistan Be  loo  chis  tan'. 

Bengal Ben  gawl'. 

Bengazi Ben  gah'  ze. 

Berlin Ber  lin'. 

Bogota Bo  go  tah'. 

Boise  City Bwah  zay'  Cit'  y.  

Bokhara Bok  hah'  ra. 

Bombay Bom  bay'. 

Bosporus. Bos'  po  rus. 

Brahmapootra. . .  Brah  ma  poo'  tra 

Brazil Bra  zeel'. 

Brazos Braz'  os. 

Breslau Bres  law. 

Brussels Brus'  slz. 

Bucharest Boo  ka  rest'. 

Buenos  Ayres.  ..Bo'  nos  Air'  ez. 


14  DAY  USE 

PR  ----ray5^„™-w.„,  ^ 

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"OCo  1  t)  'i367  ' 


■  Q>  ir\  I,  ^ 


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'dy. 


Cabul Cah  bool'. 

Cairo  (Egypt).  ..Ki'  ro. 

Callao Callah'o. 

Canton  (China).. Can  ton'.  — 

Caracas Ca  rak'  as. 

Caribbean Car  ib  bee'  an. 

Caucasus Caw'  ca  sus. 

Cayenne Ki  en'. 

Cayuga Ca  yoo'  ga. 

Celebes Cel'  e  beez. 

Cettigne Chet  teen'  yay. 

Ceylon Ce  lone'. 

Cham  '"in Sham  plain'. 

Che^T         e Ches'  a  peak. 

C^  ...Shi  en'.  ^ 

.  She  caw'  go. 
Cm..  . . .  .Chim  bo  rah' zo. 

Chr'"*'     '    Chris  te  a'  ne  a. 

Cinc'-  Cin  cin  nah'  te. 

Cochau.ui.oa Coch  a  bam'  ba. 

Colorado Col  o  rah'  do. 

Constantinople  .  .Con  stan  te  no'  pi. 

'Copenhagen Co  pen  ha'  gen. 

Cotopaxi Co  to  pax'  e. 

Covington Cuv'  ing  ton. 

CUZCO COOZ'  CO. 

Dakota Dah  ko'  ta. 

Darien Day'  le  en 

Davenport Dav'  en  port. 

Des  Moines De  Moin'. 

Detroit De  troit'. 

Dovrefield Dov  re  fe  eld'. 

Dresden Drez'  den. 

E)ubuque Du  book'. 


LD  21-50m-6 '60 
(Bl321sl0)476 


I^a  ridla ~- 

Lassa Lahs'  sa. 

Leavenworth Lev'  en  worth. 

Lima Lee'  ma. 

Louisiana Loo  ee  ze  ah'  na. 

Louisville Loo'  is  vil. 

Lyons Li'  onz. 

Madeira Ma  dee'  ra. 

Madras Ma  drabs'. 

Madrid Ma  dreed'. 

Magdalena Mag  da  lee'  na. 

Magellan Ma  gel'  Ian. 

Malabar Mai  a  bar'. 

Malacca Ma  lac^  ca. 

Malay Ma  lay'. 

Malaysia Ma  lay'  she  a^ 

Manitoba Man  e  to  bah'. 

Manila Ma  nil'  a. 

Maranham Mar  an  ham'. 

Marseilles Mar  sailz'. 

Matagorda Mat  a  gor'  da. 

Maumee Maw  mee'. 

Melanesia Mel  a  nee'  she  a. 

Melbourne Mel'  burn. 

Merrimac Mer'  re  mac. 

Miami Mi  am  e'. 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berlceley 

roi  lugt.. 

Potomac Po  to'  mac. 

Poughkeepsie —  Po  kip'  se. 

Prague Praig. 

Pyrenees Pyr'  e  neez. 

Quebec Kwe  bee'. 

Quito Kee'  to. 


e  a. 

:  petl. 


Racine Ra  seen'. 

Raleigh Raw'  le. 

Rappahannock  .  .Rap  pa  han'  nock. 

Riad Read'. 

Rio  Grande Ree'  o  Grahn'day. 

Rio  Janeiro Ree'  o  Ja  iiay'  ro. 

Roanoke Ro  an  oke'. 

Roumania Roo  mah'  ne  a. 

Russia Rush'  a. 

Sabine  Sa  been'. 

Sacramento Sac  ra  men'  to. 

Saginaw Sag'  e  iiaw. 

Sahara Sah  hah'  ra. 

Saigon Si  gon'. 

Sandusky San  dus'  ky. 

San  Joaquin  ....  San  Ho  a  keen'. 


Y. 


San  Jose San  Ho  say'. 

Santa  F^ San'  ta  Fay. 

Santee San  tee'. 

Santiago San  ti  ah'  go. 

Schenectady Ske  nee'  ta  dy. 

Scioto Si  o'  to. 

Schuylkill Skool' kill. 

Seine Sane. 

Shanghai Shang  hi'. 

Siam Si  am'. 

Sicily Sis'  e  le. 

o   nee. 

e-         iM  J  (  See  er' ra   Mah'- 

Sierra  Madre  . . .  I      ^^^^ 

Singapore Sing  ga  pore'. 

Soudan Soo  dan'. 

Staten  Island  ..  .Stat' n  I' land. 

St.  Anthony Saint  An'  to  ny. 

St.  Augustine  . . .  Saint  Aw  gus  teen'. 

St.  Croix Saint  Croi'. 

St.  Louis Saint  Loo'  is. 

St.  Roque Saint  Roke'. 

Sucre Soo'  cray. 

Suez Soo  ez' . 

Sumatra Su  mah'  tra. 

Sydney Sid'  ne. 

Syracuse Syr'  a  cuse. 

Tabriz Ta  breez'. 

Tahlequah Tah'  le  kwah. 

Tashkeiid Tash  kend'. 

Tasmania Taz  may'  ne  a. 

Taunton Tahn'  ton. 

Tchad Chad. 

Teheran Tee  he  rahn'. 

Tennessee Ten  nes  see'. 

Terre  Haute Ter' re  Hole. 

Thames Temz. 

Thibet Tebet'. 

rr-         J  1 17  (  Tee  er'  ra    del 

lieiTadelFuegcj      p,,,^y.  „„. 

Tiflis Tif  lis. 

Timbuctoo Tim  biic  too'. 

Titicaca Tit  e  cah'  ca. 

Tokio To'  kee  o. 

Toledo To  lee'  do. 

Topeka To  pee'  ka. 

Trinidad Trin  e  dad'. 

Tripoli Trip'  o  le. 

Tulare Too  lah'  re. 

Turkestan Toor  kes  tan'. 

Uruguay Yoo  roo  gway'. 

Utah Yoo'  tah. 

Utica Yoo'  ti  ca. 

Valparaiso Val  pa  ri'  so. 

Venezuela Ven  e  zwee'  la. 

Vera  Cruz Vay '  ra  Kroos. 

Versailles Ver  sailz'. 

Vienna Ve  en'  na. 

Wabash Waw'  bash. 

Wahsatch Wah  satch'. 

Warsaw War'  saw. 

Wilkesbarre Wilks'  bar  re. 

Willamette Wil  lam'  et. 

Winnebago Win  ne  ba'  go. 

Winnipeg Win'  ne  peg. 

Winnipiseogee  .  .Win  ne  pe  sok'  e. 

Winona We  no'  na. 

Woonsocket Woon  sock'  et. 

Worcester Woos'  ter. 

Wyoming Wi  o'  ming. 

Yang  tse  Kiang  .Yang  tse  Ki  ang'. 

Yedo Yed'  o. 

Yenisei Yen  e  say'  e. 

Yokohama , .  Yo  ko  hah'  ma. 

Yosemite Yo  sem'  e  te. 

Yucatan Yoo  ca  tan'. 

Yukon Yoo'  kon. 

Zambesi Zam  bay'  zee. 


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harper  &  brothers 
Text-Books  for  Schools 


HARPER'S  INTRODUCTORY  GEOGRAPHY, 
"     SCHOOL  GEOGRAPHY. 

WILLSON'S  SCHOOL  AND  FAMILY  READERS  AND  SPELL-' 

ERS. 

WILLSON  &  CALKINS'S  SCHOOL  AND  FAMILY  CHARTS. 

HARPER'S  LANGUAGE  SERIES: 

Swinton's  Language  Primer. —  Swinton's  New  Language 
Le.s-sons. — Swinton's  New  School  Composition. — Swin- 
ton's New  English  Grammar. 

FRENCH'S  SERIES  OF  ARITHMETICS. 

SCOTT'S  HISTORIES  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

"  UNITED  STATES  READERS. 

HOOKER'S  NATURAL  SCIENCE  SERIES: 

Child's  Book  of  Natm-e.  —  First  Book  in  Chemistry. — 
Natural  Philosophy. — Chemistry. — Natural  History. — 
Mineralogy  and  Geology. 

DUFFS'  COMMON  SCHOOL  BOOK-KEEPING. 
NORDHOFF'S  POLITICS  FOR  YOUNG  AMERICANS. 


